Delhi’s government has approved the Phase-I notification to bring 277.56 acres of the Northern Ridge under reserved forest protection, a move that will restrict construction, excavation and other human activities in the ecologically important area once the statutory process is completed.
The land, equivalent to 112.328 hectares, forms part of the Northern Ridge and the Aravalli mountain range. The Delhi government said the notification was approved under the Indian Forest Act as part of efforts to protect the capital’s natural heritage and green areas.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta described the Northern Ridge as an important natural asset for Delhi and said its protection was significant for the city’s environmental health and future generations. She said the approval would provide a stronger legal basis for the area’s long-term conservation.
The reserved forest process is not limited to a change in land-use status. Under the government’s announcement, construction, excavation and other human activities in the notified area will be prohibited or restricted in accordance with the applicable legal framework. The decision therefore has implications for how development and infrastructure activity can be carried out around one of Delhi’s major green zones.
The Northern Ridge is part of the larger Ridge system that functions as an extensive natural landscape within the urban region. The government’s stated objective is to strengthen its role as a green and ecological asset while providing formal legal protection to land that could otherwise face pressure from urban activity.
The Delhi government said the Phase-I approval represents progress in its effort to provide legal protection to forest areas in the capital. It did not, however, present the approval as the final completion of the reserved forest declaration. Further steps are required before the process is concluded.
According to the government, the next phase will include demarcation of the area, habitat management and measures related to community participation. These steps are intended to strengthen conservation and support the Northern Ridge’s role as a green space and ecological centre for Delhi.
The announcement places the immediate focus on completing the notification process and defining the boundaries and management arrangements for the 277.56-acre parcel. The government has said that work on the Northern Ridge’s conservation will continue through these subsequent stages.