2 years on, Bathinda’s botanical garden plan remains on paper
Punjab's First Municipal Botanical Garden Still Waiting for Groundwork in Bathinda
Indiadailyupdate.com – Two and a half years have passed since the Bathinda Municipal Corporation first floated the idea of building a botanical garden — a facility that would mark a first for any urban local body in Punjab — yet the project remains largely confined to planning documents. What was meant to be a landmark green-space initiative for the city's residents has been stalled by a chain of land-use conflicts and administrative bottlenecks, leaving the promised 7.5-acre sanctuary of native and exotic flora still unbuilt.
A Timeline of Delays
The conceptual groundwork began in December 2023, when a panel of specialists was convened to identify and earmark suitable ground for cultivating both indigenous and non-native plant species. Within a month, in January 2024, the corporation moved to invite competitive bids for construction, with the original completion target set at roughly twelve months from award. That deadline has long since lapsed without a single shovel breaking ground.
The primary obstacle, according to municipal engineers, was a land-occupation dispute. The parcel initially designated for the garden, located in the vicinity of the existing Rose Garden, was already in use by the state sewage board. Relocating that utility infrastructure required time and coordination that the project schedule did not anticipate.
A second complication emerged when the state government declined to sanction a site for the corporation's new administrative complex near the district headquarters. The MC subsequently pivoted to a plot adjacent to the Rose Garden for its own office compound, which meant the botanical garden's footprint had to wait until the office-building process cleared the way.
"Later, when the MC decided to build its new complex near Rose Garden after the state government did not approve a site near the district administrative complex, we had to wait until the site for the new office building was ready. As the process for the office compound is advancing, work to develop the botanical garden will commence soon," said Sandeep Romana, superintendent engineer of the Bathinda Municipal Corporation.
What the Garden Was Meant to Be
The design brief, as outlined by municipal officials, envisioned a comprehensive botanical facility spanning 7.5 acres. Its central mission was to serve as a living repository of plant species drawn from the diverse habitats of northwest India, with particular emphasis on taxa that are rare, threatened, or endangered in their native ranges. Species named in the proposal include jand, guggal, khimp (also rendered khip), buffel grass, and roheda — plants of considerable ecological and ethnobotanical significance to the region's semi-arid landscape.
Beyond the core collection, the plan called for several thematic micro-zones: dedicated pollinator gardens to support local insect biodiversity, an aroma park featuring fragrant species, and a moss park showcasing bryophyte diversity. A cacti garden stocked with exotic succulent varieties was also part of the layout, alongside a proposed butterfly dome — a climate-controlled enclosure designed to house flowering plants in a natural-sanctuary-like setting that would attract lepidoptera.
Recreational and educational infrastructure featured prominently. Officials described the garden as intended to function as a hub for leisure activities, academic inquiry, and environmental management. A modern interpretation centre was slated to orient visitors, while a water body and a network of pathways were planned to circulate around the park's perimeter. Notably, the design specified that no concrete would be used anywhere in the development; instead, the entire perimeter was to be enclosed with living bamboo, lending the facility a distinctly natural aesthetic.
"Besides a wide range of locally grown vegetation and exotic species, the botanical garden will be curated to make it a hub of recreational activities, and academic and environmental management. A water body is also proposed, and a modern interpretation centre will be established to facilitate visitors. A cacti garden will have a wide range of exotic varieties," said an official in the local body.
"The green initiative is aimed at a repository of plants from diverse habitats and generating mass awareness about nature conservation. Besides offering a platform for research and practical education, the project will also provide training for urban forestry and sustainable gardening. A waterbody and pathways will be provided all around the park, and there will be no use of any concrete. The upcoming garden will be fenced with bamboo trees to offer a distinct and natural aesthetic look," said an official citing the proposal.
Why It Matters for Bathinda and Beyond
Bathinda, situated in Punjab's western belt, has long struggled with limited public green space relative to its urban population. The municipal corporation's attempt to establish a botanical garden was framed not merely as a landscaping exercise but as a conservation and capacity-building intervention — one that would train residents in urban forestry and sustainable horticulture while raising public awareness of species at risk in the Thar-adjacent ecosystem.
The fact that no other local body in Punjab has yet undertaken a comparable project amplifies both the ambition and the vulnerability of the Bathinda plan. Had the original twelve-month timeline held, the garden would have been operational by early 2025, potentially attracting visitors from across the state and establishing a replicable model for smaller municipalities. The extended delay, meanwhile, has allowed the political and administrative landscape to shift, and the project now competes with other infrastructure priorities for municipal attention and budgetary allocation.
For residents who have watched the Rose Garden's surroundings change hands between utility agencies and municipal plans, the repeated postponement carries a familiar frustration. The corporation's stated position is that construction will begin "soon" once the office-compound process clears the final administrative hurdles. Whether that near-term promise translates into actual ground-breaking — or into yet another chapter of paper planning — remains to be seen.
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