Clean & prepare
Began with waste removal, soil aeration, and irrigation trenches executed with civic workers.
Aranya Green Belt Project
Citizens, corporates, and civic agencies co-created a continuous green belt in Delhi NCR's Aranya community.
The Problem
Neglected highway verges prone to dumping and dust.
Sector 108 in Delhi NCR faced a major environmental challenge with a 1.8 km neglected highway/township verge. This barren land corridor was rapidly turning into an illegal waste dumping ground. It contributed to severe neighborhood dust, offered zero shade or community spaces, and lacked biodiversity to absorb traffic emissions. The community desperately needed a green buffer zone to protect resident health.
- 1.8 km neglected highway/township verge.
- Dumping of construction debris and domestic garbage.
- Lack of safe, accessible pathways for resident families and kids.
What We Are Doing
Linear afforestation and volunteer-led stewardship.
Egis India, GMDA, and local resident volunteers teamed up with Hara Jeevan to restore the soil, divert storm water, and plant native vegetation. We turned the wasteland into a climate shield by scheduling community planting drives, building upcycled seating, and setting up eco-art installations.
Joint plantation
Egis India, GMDA, and resident groups planted native species together through the monsoon season.
Community makers
Workshops taught children to build eco-art, herbal gardens, and recycled seating.
Stewardship pods
Volunteer pods manage watering, pruning, and Plog Runs via WhatsApp alerts.
Children as climate storytellers.
Student councils led awareness walks, painted sustainability walls, and hosted zero-waste kiosks during every plantation season.
- Eco clubs curate herbal garden trails and pollinator counts.
- Residents host composting demos and seed-ball workshops.
- Seasonal newsletters share data on canopy cover, bird sightings, and waste diversion.
Current Status & Impact
Community-owned spaces built to last.
Today, the green belt is entering a self-sustained phase. Residents manage the irrigation, watch for illegal dumping, and run localized composting programs to nourish the growing tree canopy.
- QR codes on trees track watering and maintenance history.
- Upcycled garbage drums act as creative planters and benches.
- Active bird nesting boxes and increased butterfly populations.
12,500+
saplings under active QR-tracked maintenance.
300+
families volunteering across upkeep and drives.
25
upcycled art and seat units built from waste.
3
seasonal "Green Run" events funding the stewardship.
Gallery
