NDMC's green initiative: 2.60 lakh tulip bulbs to be planted in New Delhi

New Delhi [India], December 18 : With the objective of enhancing the beautification of New Delhi and controlling pollution, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) will begin the plantation of tulip bulbs on a large scale at various prominent locations across New Delhi, starting from December 27.
Addressing a press conference at Palika Kendra on Thursday, Vice Chairperson of New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) Kuljeet Singh Chahal informed that tulip bulbs imported from the Netherlands will reach India by the next week of December.
Subsequently, Chahal inspected 20,700 preserved tulip bulbs received from the CSIR-IHBT Research Centre, Palampur, at the NDMC Nursery, Purana Quila Road today, said a release.
Chahal stated that this year special emphasis has been laid on decorating major religious places of New Delhi, such as Birla Mandir, Hanuman Mandir and Bangla Sahib Gurudwara, among others, with tulip flowers. Wherever suitable land is available, tulip bulbs will be planted directly in the ground, while at locations where ground plantation is not feasible, decoration will be done using blooming tulip plants in pots, ensuring uniform, colourful and attractive floral arrangements at all religious sites.
He further informed that this year NDMC will develop tulip plantations in special theme-based formations such as "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam," "One Nation One Election," and "Viksit Bharat," thereby conveying a strong message of environmental conservation along with national ethos.
He also shared the details of procurement of Tulip Bulbs in previous years. In financial year 2021-22, a total of 62,800 tulips bulbs were purchased; in 2022-23, the number was 1,40,210; in 2023-24, a total of 2,00,000 tulip bulbs were procured while the number was 3,25,000 in FY 2024-25.
Chahal informed that a total of 5,17,500 tulip bulbs have been procured this year, out of which 3,25,000 bulbs are for NDMC and 1,92,500 bulbs for the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). Of the NDMC share, approximately 2.25 lakh tulip bulbs will be planted at locations such as Shanti Path, Central Park at Connaught Place, Convention Centre, Lodhi Garden, Talkatora Garden, Sardar Patel Marg, Mandi House, Windsor Place, Sher Shah Suri Marg, and roundabouts near the Vice President's House, while around 1 lakh tulip bulbs will be planted in pots and made available for purchase by the general public.
In addition, NDMC will also plant 15,000 tulip bulbs preserved at the special conservation centre at the Tulip House in Lodhi Garden from last year. Along with this, 20,700 tulip bulbs received from the CSIR-IHBT Research Centre, Palampur, will also be planted.
Chahal stated that the tulips are expected to bloom from February, adorning New Delhi with a vibrant display of white, yellow, red, pink, orange, purple and mixed colours. Sharing technical details, he explained that tulip bulbs require a minimum temperature of around 5 degrees Celsius for nearly two months for proper germination. Keeping Indian climatic conditions in mind, NDMC has selected pre-treated and programmed tulip bulbs, which can develop well despite temperature fluctuations.
He added that tulip flowers not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of the city but also help in reducing dust and air pollution, while providing a pleasant experience to citizens and tourists alike.
Chahal further informed that NDMC has been undertaking tulip plantation since 2017-18, beginning with a pilot project of 17,000 bulbs. This initiative proved highly successful, making NDMC the first urban local body in the country to plant tulips in open public spaces for citizens--earlier limited only to the gardens of Rashtrapati Bhavan. This effort forms an important part of NDMC's vision of a "Clean, Green and Beautiful New Delhi."
Highlighting NDMC's achievements in plantation, Chahal stated that between 1 April and 31 October 2025, NDMC planted 3,426 trees, 29,93,429 shrubs and 502 bamboo plants in its area. To promote public participation, special plantation programmes are being conducted under the Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji's campaign "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam," with active involvement of citizens, students, and government and private institutions. Under this initiative, NDMC has also carried out plantation drives in the premises of embassies of more than 20 countries, including Australia, Denmark, Korea, Mauritius, the Netherlands, Poland, Sri Lanka, Portugal, Austria and Lithuania.
In conclusion, Chahal said that NDMC's continuous green initiatives clearly demonstrate that urban greenery plays a vital role in making cities cleaner, more beautiful and more livable, and in this direction, NDMC is emerging as an inspiring model for other urban bodies.