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| Omar walks through Azad’s flower beds | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, March 4: Originally known as Siraj Bagh and controversially renamed as Indira Gandhi Garden, Srinagar’s vast field of tulips not only grows flowers of 60 verities but also strange political ambitions.
Now Congress General Secretary and then Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had conceived the idea laying out a vast tulip field in the supper capital. From laying out of flower beds, its renaming to its high profile inauguration by Congress President Sonia Gandhi, the Tulip Garden saw as many politically interesting controversies. When worst protests of last two decades broke out in Srinagar in summer of 2008 following Amarnath land allotment, one of the slogans across length and breadth of Kashmir Valley included a reference to tulips when people saw falling down of the government.
The Tulip Garden remained politically unattended for nearly a year till Azad’s successor and now partner of his party, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today walked through the flower beds.
Abdullah junior who arrived here this morning from Jammu, visited the famous Tulip Garden situated at the foot of the Zaberwan hills and inspected the ongoing improvement works to further beautify the tourist attraction.
The Chief Minister was informed that the garden spread over an area of 120 kanals has 12 lakh tulip bulbs of 60 varieties. One green house has also been erected for cultivation of tulips for commercial purposes which would generate employment opportunities in the private sector. He was further informed that the first Ancilla Tulip flower of orange colour bloomed on February 06, 2009 and the garden will be thrown open between March 20 and 25, 2009 when it will be in full bloom.
The Director Floriculture, Dr. G. N. Naqash, said that a cold store for tulips is also proposed to be constructed in the garden costing Rs. 4 crore. The ditch land development project costs about Rs. 9.50 crore, he added.
The Asia's largest garden, was completed after a 400-odd labourers and gardeners worked round-the-clock in three shifts to give final touches to the garden before opening its beautifully-built gate plaza for visitors last year.
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