The Delhi government has approved a Phase-I notification to declare 112.328 hectares, or 277.56 acres, of the Northern Ridge as reserved forest under Section 20 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, beginning a formal process to strengthen legal protection for one of the capital’s key ecological zones.
The area forms part of the Aravalli range and is recognised by the government as an important green and ecological zone of Delhi. The government said the notification would provide legal protection to the Northern Ridge and support its long-term conservation.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta described the Ridge as an important part of Delhi’s natural heritage and said its protection was necessary for the city’s environmental health and future generations. “The Northern Ridge serves as Delhi’s ‘green lungs’ and an ecological hub. Granting it legal protection as a reserved forest will further strengthen the foundation for its long-term conservation,” Gupta said.
The notification adds to a wider expansion of reserved forest land reported by the government. During the tenure of the present government, 5,267.009 hectares, or 13,014.77 acres, have been notified as reserved forest, compared with 96.16 hectares, or 237.611 acres, under previous governments, according to the figures cited by the government.
With the Northern Ridge notification, the total reserved forest area is expected to increase to 5,363.169 hectares, or around 13,252.390 acres. The government had also approved the notification of around 400 hectares, equivalent to 1,000 acres, in the Southern Ridge last month.
The Northern Ridge forms part of the larger Ridge system, whose protection has direct implications for how Delhi manages land with ecological functions inside a rapidly urbanising capital. The government linked conservation of the Ridge to efforts to address pollution, expand green areas and maintain ecological balance. Gupta said protecting natural areas would help Delhi build long-term resilience against air pollution and climate-related challenges.
The government also said that more than 73 lakh saplings had been planted in Delhi this year. Work on check dams and natural regeneration in Ridge areas is underway, with the stated aim of improving groundwater recharge. These measures connect the reserved forest notification with wider efforts involving vegetation, water retention and ecological restoration.
The legal declaration is not the final stage of the conservation process. According to the government, the next phase will focus on demarcation, habitat management and community participation. These steps will determine how the newly protected area is identified on the ground, managed as habitat and linked to local engagement.
The notification therefore creates a formal protection framework for the identified Northern Ridge land, while implementation will depend on the next phase of demarcation, habitat management and community participation announced by the government.