Delhi

As the recent look-at-me trend among Indian states continues with an effort to find a place under the tourism sun, Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation (DTTDC) plans to promote Delhi as a complete 'capital' destination. Delhi with its rich legacy offers a mixture of urban and cultural tourism offering a platter full of magnificent architectures and cultural extravaganza alongside entertainment, shopping and good food. While the majestic Red Fort, a 16th century Moghul architecture embellished with inlay work on walls and landscaped gardens, the towering Qutub Minar, expansive Purana Qilla reflect the city's brush with history, the discos, pubs, multiplexes, bowling alleys, pool clubs strewn around the city displays its trendy modernity.

What Delhi lacks is natural abundance - neither does it have a green wood encircling it like Vienna, nor is it nestled in the lap of hills. However, the city keeping pace with time embraced the idea of going green, which has become the most popular fad, to make it an eco-friendly city. In an effort to augment the spirit of 'Clean and Green Delhi', the Delhi government launched a new project for upgrading the environment quality of Delhi. The ‘Green Delhi’ campaign was initiated by the government with active co-operation from corporate houses and the city witnessed greening of more than 200 kms of road stretches. Environmental communications has taken off in Delhi with flying start in the real sense. Today, one cannot help appreciating Delhi's several beautiful traffic islands and roundabouts, landscaped gardens, manicured fountains, fly-overs lined with potted plants and tree-lined boulevards. While corporate got their share of social branding exercise, government got its share of a green, well-maintained city at no extra cost to the exchequer and people got a healthy environment. The state has roped in corporate houses not only to sponsor festivals being held round the year, but also for maintenance of the heritage monuments and tourist attractions.

The Eco-Initiatives

With tourists increasingly driven by the urge to escape into the wilderness and experience nature, Delhi tourism is at a disadvantage as the destination has little to offer in terms of nature tourism. So, to provide tourists a feel of rural simplicity and natural environs within the confines of the city, the DTTDC came up with some attractive places. These man-made retreats are perfect foils to the high-wire glitzy urban entertainment.

Dilli Haat: The Dilli Haat provides the ambience of a traditional village market, but one suited for more contemporary needs. The word 'Haat' refers to a weekly market in rural, semi-urban areas. But Dilli Haat is not just a market place. It has been visualised as a showpiece of traditional Indian culture - a forum where rural life and folk art are brought closer to an urban clientele. Here one sees a synthesis of traditional crafts, food and cultural activity. The six acres of land on which this sprawling complex is situated was salvaged as part of a reclamation project and transformed into a magnificent dream plaza. Extensive foundation work, small thatched roof cottages with craftsmen selling wares and kiosks have created a rural ambience - a place where one can unwind in the evening and relish a wide variety of cuisine without paying exorbitant rates. An open-air stage, complete with an audio system and green room, provides just the right setting for entertainment. The entire area has been extensively landscaped and has a children park to provide an environment conducive to recreation and leisure.

Garden Of Five Senses: The Garden of Five Senses is located at Said-ul-Azaib village, close to the Mehrauli heritage area in New Delhi. Situated in the vicinity of Qutab Minar, the 20-acre site is spectacularly beautiful, set amongst majestic rocks. The project, developed by Delhi Tourism Transportation Development Corporation, was conceptualised to answer the city's need for leisure space for tourists and residents to socialise and unwind. The project is designed to stimulate one's sensory response to the environment. An amalgamation of colour and fragrance, texture and form evokes the awareness of touch, smell, sight, sound and taste. The place is not just a park, it has a wider range of areas, like the contemplative zones with the fragrant gardens and the Neel Bagh. The planting within the Garden has been designed to keep the imagery suggested by the name Garden of Five Senses. Parasol trees such as the local 'kikar' spread all over the site have been left in tact to provide shade. Over the rocky ridge where the soil is not suitable for planting, the vegetation is mostly untouched and consists mainly of the thorny bush. The lower parts of the site, is designed to explore the various forms, colour, texture and fragrance that can be induced by plants. Fragrant trees and shrubs have been planted all along the paths and various zones. Almost two hundred varieties of plants have been introduced in the project.

On one side of the spiral walkway is Khaas Bagh, a formal garden patterned on the lines of Mughal gardens. On the other side is a food and shopping court, comprising five food outlets, six shops including one selling plants. The food stalls face a series of terraces laid out with elaborate seating arrangements. On the other side of these terraces is a widespread maze of hedge plants. On a rocky ridge to the north of the food court is the Trail of Fragrance. This has large range of fragrant trees and shrubs. At the end of trail, elevated amongst the rocks, is another sculpture in stainless steel - inspired by a 'pinwheel' - by Subodh Kerkar.

A solar energy park has been set up with the help of Ministry of Non-Conventional Renewable Energy Sources. This section of the Garden is meant to brings about awareness in utilisation of renewable sources of energy and comprises of a 20 kw solar power plant, which meets the requirements of running the solar park. The various exhibits include two small solar powered buses, solar powered bicycles, solar powered cars for children, quiz computer, solar drum and slide, weighing machine and exhibits on renewable sources - solar, micro hydel, muscle power.

Water Sports: A multi-sports and leisure complex has been created by Delhi Tourism at Bhalswa Lake, a rain fed lake situated at Delhi's north-east edge. This offers facilities for boating in pedal boats, kayaks, canoes and speedboats. Keen anglers can also indulge in fishing. Hovercraft and water scooters have been introduced for the first time in Delhi at this lake.

Pedal boats are also available at the Hari Nagar, India Gate, Purana Quila and Naini lakes. Special training programmes in kayaking and canoeing are organised in all these lakes.

With an eye to increase over-nights, DTTDC is planning to promote Delhi as a tourist hub. It working closely with travel agents and tour operators to develop packages that will include Delhi as a separate destination connected to spokes like Agra, Rajasthan, HP, Gujarat, MP etc. Now, agents offer a half-day sightseeing, which hardly does justice to the city's tourist attractions.

Uppal's Orchid - Delhi's Green Hotel Uppal's Orchid stands out in Delhi's tourism map not just because it is the first Ecotel of the city but because it has become a hot property with business travellers. Just a fifteen minutes drive from the international airport, the swanky property is a perfect patchwork of modern business facilities, laid-back ambience and eco-friendly environs.

Sprawling across 10.5 acres of landscaped green, it gives the look and feel of a resort where one can unwind after conducting serious business. A nine hole putting green, a swimming pool encircled by trees, the tiled pool bar, rooms with private gardens, walkways with a canopy of sleek wooden railings draped in dangling flowering plants, a central courtyard lined with trees and fountains create a soothing atmosphere.

Launched by the Uppal group in partnership with the international hospitality brand - Ecotel- the collection of environmentally sensitive hotels that belongs to Hospitality Valuation Services (HVS) International, the hotel prides itself for providing guests 'luxury with responsibility'. Committed to care for the environment, the property has incorporated the mantra of reducing, reusing and recycling resources in all its operation. Right from the construction stage care has been taken to use eco-friendly materials like PPC cement, water-based exterior paint and triple glazed windows that block the sun from entering the room and help in conserving the air conditioning energy. While rain harvesting wells at various locations collect the water during the monsoons in under ground systems in an attempt to replenish the water table, it practices a 'zero garbage' policy according to which all organic waste is utilised for the process of Vermiculture or rapid organic compound. All non-organic waste is sold to scrap merchants.

The 84 rooms and two suites have Dataport connections, electronically calibrated 'Green Button' air-conditioning control, 40 per cent energy-saving mini bars, interactive television, compact fluorescent lamps, aerators for restricted water control and recycled wooden hangers. The hotel boasts of generous banqueting and conferencing facilities equipped with internet services, tele-conferencing and state-of-the-art business presentation features. The banquet hall, The Regal Room, can accommodate 500 people, or can be subdivided into four halls of different seating capacities to suit guest requirements. The four business meeting rooms in the business centre are ideal venues for conducting corporate events such as conferences, seminars, training sessions and workshops. The spacious lawns are perfect settings for outdoor functions and events.

By Anindita Chattopadhyay