Sanjay Van
| Sanjay Van | |
|---|---|
| Forest | |
  Sanjay Van Location in Delhi, India | |
| Coordinates: 28°32′00″N 77°10′40″E / 28.53333°N 77.17778°ECoordinates: 28°32′00″N 77°10′40″E / 28.53333°N 77.17778°E | |
| Country |
 India |
| State | Delhi |
| Time zone | IST (UTC+5:30) |
| Lok Sabha constituency | South West Delhi |
Sanjay Van is a sprawling city forest area near Vasant Kunj and Mehrauli in Delhi, India. It is spread over an area of 783 Acres. It is one of the most thickly wooded areas of the city’s green lungs and purported to be one of the most haunted places in the metropolis, maybe due to its adjacency to Mehrauli and the fact that it houses innumerable Majaars (mausoleums of Sufi saints) & graves punctuated with broken ramparts of Qila Rai Pithora.
Concerns
The forest, which is part of the Mehrauli South Central Ridge, has undergone severe degradation in recent times with the proliferation of the Prosopis juliflora tree which is non-endemic to the Aravalli ranges and has caused depletion of the ground water level, killing native flora and changing the natural soil characteristics of the Aravallis. Sewage water and effluent discharge into Sanjay Van has also affected this green belt in the Capital.
Restoration Work
Amid a growing demand from nature lovers, the forest is going to be made a bird sanctuary. The Sanjay Van, which is presently undergoing restoration through a unique collaborative effort between the Delhi Development Authority and a citizen's group and likely could become a model that will be replicated to restore other ridges in the Capital.
Attractions
Heritage apart, the area is one of the few recluses for bird watchers and nature enthusiasts. Birds like :
- Eurasian golden oriole
- Purple sunbird
- Asian koel
- Brahminy starling
- Indian silverbill
- Grey-breasted prinia
- Crested honey buzzard
- White-throated kingfisher
- Rufous treepie
- Indian paradise flycatcher
- Eurasian sparrowhawk
- Red-wattled lapwing
- Cattle egret
- Common moorhen
- White-breasted waterhen
- Jacobin cuckoo which flies in from South Africa to breed in this forest.
The forest is also a natural habitat for :
- Nilgai
- Golden jackal
- A large variety of Butterflies, Snakes and birds like Heron and Indian peafowl.
Visit
There are multiple entry and exit points, but the ones at the Qutub Institutional Area and Neela Hauz Bridge near Vasant Kunj are the least confusing. Be dressed in full-length trousers and shoes to avoid the thorny shrubbery and tank yourselves up with a lot of fluids and snacks, as there is no retail in the quiet of the woods.
See also
- Najafgarh drain bird sanctuary
- Okhla Sanctuary
- Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary
- Sultanpur National Park
References
http://www.sodelhi.com/parks-gardens/sanjay-van-vasant-kunj-new-delhi