Central Ridge gets ‘reserved forest’ tag. ‘A milestone… move was pending for 3 decades,’ says Delhi CM
Central Ridge has been declared a ‘reserved forest’, giving stronger legal protection to 673.32 hectares of one of Delhi’s most important green zones.
Delhi has granted ‘reserved forest’ status to 673.32 hectares of the Central Ridge, strengthening legal safeguards for one of the Capital’s most ecologically sensitive green areas. (File Photo) In a significant move that gives stronger legal protection to one of the Capital’s most important ecological zones, the Delhi government has declared approximately 673.32 hectares of the Central Ridge area — that comes under the Western Forest Division and covers parts around Sardar Patel Marg and the President’s Estate — as ‘reserved forest’ under Section 20 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927. “The decision would prove to be a milestone in strengthening Delhi’s natural heritage, biodiversity, and ecological security,” Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was quoted as saying in an official statement by her office on Saturday.
The move comes nearly 32 years after Delhi’s Ridge areas were first notified under Section 4 of the Indian Forest Act on May 24, 1994. Section 4 is the preliminary notification that starts the process of constituting a reserved forest. Section 20 is the final notification that gives the area its enforceable reserved forest status after the claims and settlement process is completed.
In the statement, the CM was quoted as saying, “The declaration completed an important process that had been pending for more than three decades.”
Other Ridge areas of the Capital would also soon be notified as reserved forests under Section 20 and that the process is being expedited, the official statement underlined.
The Central Ridge is one part of the larger Delhi Ridge system, which the Forest Department divides into four main segments — Northern, Central, South-Central and Southern Ridge. Of these, the Southern Ridge is the largest, while the Central Ridge accounts for about 864 hectares in official records.
According to the statement, an area spanning approximately 4,080.82 hectares of the Southern Ridge was declared ‘reserved forest’ on October 24 last year. With the present notification of 673.32 hectares, the current government has so far granted the status to 4,754.14 hectares of Ridge areas.
The CM said, “The move would help prevent encroachments, illegal activities, and ecological degradation. It would also strengthen conservation and scientific management initiatives being undertaken by the Forest department in Delhi’s Ridge areas.”
The notification is significant also because the Central Ridge has historically involved multiple land-managing agencies. Forest department records list portions under the Forest department, Army, Delhi Development Authority, CPWD, NDMC, MCD, Railways and other agencies. A final reserved forest notification would reduce ambiguity over protection and enforcement.
A reserved forest notification gives the Forest department a firmer basis to regulate the area, prevent encroachment and take action against activities that damage forest land.
In a 2021 order, the National Green Tribunal had said there was an “urgent need” to finalise Section 20 notification for Ridge protection and directed that notification be issued within three months for areas where there was no controversy.
In another November 2025 order, the Supreme Court noted that even as more than three decades had passed, only 103.48 hectares had been notified as reserved forest under Section 20 till then. It also referred to a Central Empowered Committee report, which said 5% of the Ridge area was under encroachment, 4% had been diverted and only 1.33% had been notified under Section 20.
Meanwhile, the Delhi government has also announced that native and environmentally suitable tree species will be planted wherever suitable vacant land is available in Ridge areas declared as reserved forests. Neem, peepal, shisham, jamun, tamarind and mango are among the proposed species.
Separately, the Forest department has also planned for the development of Special Vans – Tirthankara Van, Ritu Van, Rashi Van and Panchvati Van in Central Ridge under West Forest Division which has been contested by environmentalists.
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