Wedged between Sainik Farms and Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, the 70ha Tilpath Valley has long been envisaged as a biodiversity park by the Delhi Development Authority. A proposal was made to convert the area into a biodiversity park so as to rejuvenate its groundwater recharge capacity.

But four years hence, DDA has not even turned over the park to scientists from Center for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems who will work on reviving it. Encroachments spanning 3ha here have resulted in the project being put on hold as DDA is yet to figure out how this land-part of the Delhi Ridge-can be made inviolate. This being an election year it's even more unlikely for the government to clean up the mess.

"There are a few farmhouses that need to be moved out. DDA has to pay compensation or find an alternative location for these houses," said an officer. DDA officials confirmed that there is a procedure laid down specifically for removing encroachments but could not promise a date by which they would be able to recover the land. "We will need some time to confirm how much land has been encroached upon," said a senior DDA official. Because of its proximity to the posh Sainik Farms the cost of the land here is quite high.

The land is important because of its ability to retain water in several natural deep pits in the area. "The catchment has degraded because of shrinking forest cover. There must have been waterfalls on the slopes facing the northwest direction. We will try to revive the system," says scientist-in-charge, Aravali Biodiversity Park, M Shah Hussain who is now working on the plan for Tilpath Valley Biodiversity Park.

But it may take years before the water bodies are fully revived. "First, we have to increase forest cover by planting native varieties which will help bring precipitation to this forest. We must also rejuvenate the catchment. Only then can we have a perennial water body in the valley. There are many possibilities. Before all else, DDA must make it free of encroachments," says Hussain.

The only access to this beautiful but degraded Ridge land is through Sainik Farms. Strangely, no one in the locality seems to know that DDA plans to develop a biodiversity park here. They haven't heard of Tilpath Valley either. There are no sign boards, no entrance and locals seem to think that the area is private and open for development.

Scientists believe one of the main reasons behind lack of biodiversity in Delhi's forests is its fragmentation. Forest land is owned by multiple agencies including DDA, corporation, forest department and NDMC which makes it difficult to bring it into the ambit of forest and wildlife laws.

The park which connects seamlessly with Asola Bhatti sanctuary will act as a wildlife corridor for animals and a lung to absorb urban air pollution besides being a site of water bodies for groundwater recharge. It will help fauna from both the park and Asola migrate. But for now it's just caught in red tape.