What was once the Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA) lake park in West Delhi, where people could enjoy nature and recreational activities like boating, is now a grazing ground for cattle and a dump with the lake drying up and the area facing abject neglect.
The nearly 50-acre Hari Nagar Lake Park or the Tihar Lake Park to be administered and maintained by the DDA is in need for revival.
The Delhi Urban Art Commission (DUAC) has conducted a study to revamp and revive the Hari Nagar lake and the surrounding greens. With its comprehensive study, the DUAC is ready to help the DDA with its expertise.
At present, the approach road to the Hari Nagar lake connects Ashok Nagar with Hari Nagar. It has on the one side the Masjid Park (maintained by the DDA) and local shops. On the other side is the Hari Nagar Lake Park. One side of the road is now used as a dump while the other side sees haphazard parking for cars and rickshaws.
Residents of Tihar and nearby colonies move through the park to a nearby crematorium. The park has also become a safe haven for anti-social elements.
The DUAC has proposed a DEWAT (decentralized wastewater treatment) system for recharging and rejuvenating the lake. Under the system, sewage is passed through a settler and then through an anaerobic baffled reactor where further filtration takes place by way of sedimentation.
Thereafter, the sewage moves through another anaerobic filter followed by a planted gravel filter which contains plants known to clean water. The water so obtained would be used to recharge the lake. DEWAT is a reliable system with no sophisticated maintenance.
The study also proposes to treat water from the Najafgarh drain to recharge the lake.
It also stresses on tapping rainwater to fill the lake through drain channels besides recharging the water table through rainwater harvesting.
The commission has proposed to use ‘water benches’ at the park. A water bench serves as a reservoir and a piece of furniture at the same time. It stores rainwater which can be used for irrigating the park cutting down consumption of public water.
Rejuvenating the surroundingsFor rejuvenating the area around the lake, the DUAC has proposed re-doing the restaurant block, boating club, and doing up other attractions like open deck seating and fountains.
An open plaza will be developed in front of the lake. It will lead to the restaurant block with an open terrace garden. An art gallery has been proposed at the centre of the open plaza for those who want to learn about Delhi's history. It also proposes to set up local shopping centres in the nearby barren lands to make the area lively.
