NEW DELHI: The Delhi government has announced an ambitious plan to develop 100 “oxygen parks” across the national capital as part of a larger effort to fight pollution, increase green cover and improve the city’s climate. The announcement was made by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta while laying the foundation stone for the first oxygen park in Mukhmelpur village in the Burari area of north Delhi.
The first oxygen park will be developed on nearly three acres of land in Mukhmelpur village in Burari. According to government officials, the project will be funded with around ₹2 crore, including ₹1 crore from the Forest Department and another ₹1 crore from the Chief Minister’s MLA development fund.
The proposed parks are designed to function as green urban spaces with dense plantations of trees and shrubs. Officials said the parks will include fruit-bearing and shade-giving trees, walking tracks, landscaped ponds, seating huts, open lawns and energy-efficient lighting systems. The government says these parks are intended not only to improve air quality but also to provide residents with public spaces for recreation and community activities.
At present, the only confirmed location announced by the government is the Mukhmelpur-Burari site. The remaining parks are expected to be developed in phases across different parts of Delhi, though the government has not yet released a detailed list of locations.
The project comes at a time when Delhi continues to struggle with severe air pollution, especially during winter months when AQI levels frequently reach hazardous categories. Increasing green cover and creating urban forests are widely seen as important measures for reducing dust pollution, absorbing carbon dioxide and helping lower temperatures in densely built-up areas. Delhi has one of the highest population densities in India, and rapid urbanisation has reduced natural green cover in many parts of the city.
Environmental studies have shown that large green spaces can help improve urban environments in several ways. Dense tree plantations can absorb pollutants such as particulate matter and carbon dioxide while releasing oxygen into the atmosphere. Green spaces can also help reduce the urban heat island effect, improve groundwater recharge and support biodiversity by attracting birds and insects.
The Delhi government has also linked the oxygen park initiative with a wider plantation campaign. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced that the government aims to plant more than 70 lakh trees, shrubs and hedges across Delhi this year. Officials say the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and various departments are working together to modernise parks and expand public green spaces throughout the capital.
Government officials believe that projects like these can improve the quality of life in Delhi by creating cleaner and healthier neighbourhoods. Residents in areas around Burari, including Jindpur, Hiranki and Bakhtawarpur, are expected to benefit from the first park once completed. The government says similar parks in other parts of Delhi could eventually become important environmental and recreational hubs for local communities.
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