the Ridge. Nearly 170 hectares were declared a Reserved Forest in 1915. Less than 87 hectares remain today.

The NEW DELHI or CENTRAL RIDGE was made into a Reserved Forest I in 1914 and stretches from just south of Sadar Bazar to Dhaula Kuan. It extends over 864 hectares, but some bits have been nibbled away.

The MEHRAULI or SOUTH-CENTRAL RIDGE is centered on Sanjay Vana, near JNU, and encompasses 633 hectares. Large chunks have been encroached and built upon.

The TUGHLAKABAD or SOUTHERN RIDGE sprawls across 6200 hectares and includes the Asola and Bhatti wildlife sanctuaries. This is the least urban of the 4 segments of the Ridge, but a lot of it is village- or privately-owned farmland

Vegetation, Flora and Fauna:

The Ridge, a densely forested region. The forest status ofrebuilt again, till the present century no city was ever built across the Ridge or across the River Yamuna. The problems of Delhi started after this basic ecological factor was ignored.

The encroachments on the Ridge started with the Home Ministry's decision to establish a wireless station on nearly 17..acres of land right in the heart of the forest.

Soon after, the Rabindra Rangshala - an open air theatre where cultural programmes were to be held - was established on yet another 36 acres of prime land. It is interesting to note that the Rabindra Rangshala , with a seating capacity larger than the Colosseum in Rome, was used for barely a couple of weeks in a year.

Although it was built for the interaction to happen between the people of