NDMC's tulip festival delights nature lovers, anthophiles with visual treat

The NDMC's 'Tulip Festival', beginning Tuesday, has garnered the attention of nature lovers and anthophiles, with lawns of Shanti Path and several roundabouts in its vicinity decked up with thousands of red and white tulips

imported from the Netherlands.

Those who wish to witness blooming of tulips may visit Shanti Path, Central Park, Children Park, Mandi House, 11 Murti, Windsor Place, Akbar Road, AIIMS Circle, and Palika Kendra, the civic body officials said.

A total of 1.24 lakh tulip bulbs were brought from the Netherlands and planted in the first week of January in Shanti Path lawns by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).

The blooming of tulips coincides with the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting to be held on March 1-2.

Having said that, the major question arises that how can these spring flowers which require constant chilling temperatures survive in the fluctuating weather of the national capital.

Growing tulips in Delhi remained a distant dream until 2016 when NDMC officials took it upon themselves to give the residents the pleasure of watching the beautiful flower bloom in the city.

This was made possible through persistent efforts by the New Delhi Municipal Council and via technical interventions like breaking dormancy, the requirement of chilling temperature, and synchronising bloom.

NDMC Vice Chairman Satish Upadhaya, who visited Shanti Path at Chankyapuri, said it is a spectacle to watch.

"We had ordered 1.24 lakh tulip bulbs which is more than double the number of last year. We started planting tulips in 2016 with pre-treated and pre-programmed tulip bulbs which enable the flower to grow in Delhi's weather. Moreover, to ensure they are not infested, we keep them in quarantine for three to four days," he told PTI.

NDMC started importing pre-treated and pre-programmed tulip bulbs in 2016 from Holland.

"... In our country, tulips were earlier confined to Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir), hence people have to visit Srinagar or take a foreign trip to Keukenhof, Amsterdam, Holland. But for the general public, all these are distant locations to witness their favourite flower bloom...," an NDMC official told PTI.

"In Delhi, the flowers were introduced at Rashtrapati Bhavan a decade ago, thereafter, it was decided to take the beauty of tulips in public spaces so that more visitors, residents and the general public can witness their beauty," the official said.

He said this year, the quantity of tulip bulbs has drastically gone up -- almost doubled -- from the previous year, that is, from 55,000 to 1,20,000, and were distributed mostly to the Tulip Festival venue at Shanti Path and other locations where the public can enjoy their beauty while passing or crossing the roundabouts, roads, among others.

The NDMC will also organise photography competitions during the near fortnight-long festival.

Upadhaya urged the youth to visit Shanti Path and take part in the festival.