Don't get tulips just to see them die

Efforts to beautify a city are always welcome, and many of our cities can certainly do with prettier spaces. But these exercises, undoubtedly with the best of intentions, need to be thought out, pros being measured against cons. Unfortunately, in many cases, projects are undertaken because someone in authority has a whim, never mind if it's bound to flounder and become a waste of public funds that could have been utilised with more thought. The tulip-planting programme in Delhi seems to be the latest vanity project that actually defeats its very purpose. The Delhi Parks and Gardens Society (DPGS), which has both the L-G and CM in its governing body, has been asked to import 3 lakh tulip bulbs from the Netherlands this year for ₹1.5 cr, adding to the 1.5 lakh bulbs imported in 2022 and 5 lakh in 2023 from Europe.

DPGS is supposed to distribute these bulbs to parks and gardens management committees and RWAs. But it's difficult to rationalise the choice of tulips for a city like Delhi with its arid and hot climate, far removed from the flower's natural habitats in Holland, Kashmir or Sikkim. Moreover, tulips bloom for 1-3 weeks in Delhi, compared to 2-3 months in their usual habitats.

While rows of tulips are, indeed, delightful to the eye, Delhi should set aside this tulipmania, focus on growing species more suited to Delhi's climes, and seek making the city by other means. Most will say that clean drains, well-maintained footpaths and green spaces, and clean roads that don't go underwater every monsoon can be a better push towards making Delhi a visual pleasure. But maintaining flower beds is also worth pursuing. As long as they don't wilt at the slightest hint of heat and present a sad spectacle of attempted beautification.