The bustling New Delhi Railway Station is no stranger to large crowds and the constant commotion of passengers and trains arriving and departing at a relentless pace. Yet amidst this daily pandemonium, a unique spectacle has managed to subtly capture the attention of those with a discerning eye—a lush tree valued at an astonishing Rs 25 lakh.
According to a report by News18, this exotic tree which has found a home at one of India’s busiest transit hubs is not native to the subcontinent. Its origins trace back to Thailand, a country known for its rich flora and fauna.
This remarkable tree stands tall on platform number 1, close to the Tilak Bridge end of the station. It is not simply its price tag that invokes curiosity but also its maintenance ritual. The tree demands nothing less than a liter of protein every month, with the feed alone costing around Rs 2,500. Additionally, to sustain its health and beauty, an expense of roughly Rs 5,000 is dedicated to fertilizers and water.
Beyond being a mere decorative piece, the tree is exclusively designed to grow into a beautiful lattice shape that adds an element of enchanting allure to the surrounding environment. This investment is a part of Indian Railways’ grand design to overhaul the appearance and facilities of over a thousand stations across the country. Aligning with international standards, Indian Railways is striving to transform these spaces into global transit centers that offer more than just functionality.
The transformation isn’t limited to the general public areas within the stations. Even the zones reserved for VIPs, such as Members of Parliament and Union Ministers, are witnessing a green makeover to augment their aesthetic appeal.
New Delhi Railway Station, the focal point of this narrative, serves as a bridge connecting various parts of the nation. Hosting approximately 350 trains each day, it’s a crucial node in the Indian Railways network. The station accommodates all—from the prestigious Rajdhani Express to the state-of-the-art Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat services. This diversity ensures that the station remains at the forefront of India’s rail infrastructure, offering reliable and comprehensive connectivity to all.
The decision to enrich the station with a lavish tree is an exemplar of the Railways’ commitment to enhancing passenger experience through not just structural but also environmental improvements. Fostering greenery in such a high-traffic area provides a refreshing respite from the city’s otherwise concrete dominance.
Administrators of the New Delhi Railway Station take pride in playing their role to entrench a mindset where nature coexists with urban development, eschewing the notion that the latter must always come at the expense of the former.
The inclusion of the tree also resonates with global trends where transportation hubs are increasingly incorporating natural elements into their infrastructure to promote sustainability and improve the well-being of travelers.
As Indian Railways embarks on this commendable mission to reinvent and rejuvenate railway stations across India, the tree at New Delhi Railway Station stands as a testament—both in value and in spirit—to the ambitious vision that steers the organization. It’s a subtle reminder that the journey can be just as enriching as the destination. With initiatives like these, Indian Railways is not only facilitating journeys across distances but is also bridging the gap between development and ecological conservation. The tree at New Delhi Railway Station, although easy to overlook in a hurry, symbolizes a budding era of environmentally conscious innovations within India’s most cherished public service sector.
