The Delhi government has approved the Phase-I notification to declare 277.56 acres of the Northern Ridge as reserved forest under Section 20 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, strengthening legal protection for a key green and ecological zone of the capital. The notification covers 112.328 hectares of land in the Northern Ridge, which forms part of the Aravalli mountain range.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said protecting the Northern Ridge was important for Delhi’s environmental health and for future generations. The government said the move would strengthen long-term conservation of the area and contribute to efforts to protect natural spaces and improve the capital’s resilience to environmental challenges.

According to the Delhi government, 5,267.009 hectares, or 13,014.77 acres, had been notified as reserved forest during the current government’s tenure so far, compared with 96.16 hectares, or 237.611 acres, under previous governments. With the addition of the Northern Ridge land, the total area notified as reserved forest is expected to reach 5,363.169 hectares, or about 13,252.39 acres.

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The latest decision follows the government’s approval last month of around 1,000 acres of additional land in the Southern Ridge for reserved forest notification. The Delhi Ridge is an extension of the Aravalli range and comprises the Northern, Central, South-Central and Southern Ridge areas. Government records describe the Ridge as an important ecological feature of the capital.

Gupta said environmental conservation and efforts to address pollution needed to progress together. The government said more than 73 lakh saplings had been planted in Delhi this year and that plantation activities were continuing through initiatives including the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign and the ‘Vriksh Rath’. Work is also being undertaken on check dams and natural regeneration in Ridge areas to improve groundwater recharge, while school and college students have been involved as ‘Eco-Warriors’ to promote awareness about climate and biodiversity.

The next phase of protection for the Northern Ridge will focus on demarcation, habitat management and community participation, according to the chief minister’s office. The Delhi government has also constituted the Delhi Ridge Management Board this year to oversee protection, restoration and regulation of activities within the Ridge and Morphological Ridge.

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