Delhi waives morning park entry until 10am

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu directed the Delhi Development Authority on May 14 to stop charging entry fees until 10 a.m. at selected ticketed parks, greens and heritage sites across the city, according to officials. The order applies to morning walkers at places where entry tickets had been charged earlier. The move was announced as part of an effort to encourage outdoor exercise and wider participation in the Fit India campaign. Delhi media reports published on May 14 and May 15 said the waiver took effect this week. ### Which parks are covered by the fee waiver? The list released with the order names 12 DDA-managed sites: Mehrauli Archaeological Park, Baansera, Asita, Kranti Udhyan, Vatika, Atal Sadbhavana Park, Vasudev Ghat, Vaishnavi Park, DDA Green at Sector 16-D Dwarka, Amrut Bio-Diversity Park, Lala Hardayal Park in Jasola and Smriti Van in Narela. ANI and local reports carried the same list on May 14 and May 15. (aninews.in) Hindustan Times reported that the waiver applies at “select parks, greens and heritage sites” where fees were being collected before the order. The report said the change gives free access to walkers during morning hours only, not for the full day. ### What exactly changes for visitors before 10 a.m.? (aninews.in) The new rule is time-bound: no entry fee is to be charged until 10 a.m. for morning walkers at the named sites, officials said. After 10 a.m., the reports do not say that the underlying ticketing system has been abolished, only that the morning charge has been waived. (hindustantimes.com) DDA’s online public-services page continues to show a “DDA Park Ticket Booking” service, indicating that ticketing remains in place for parks and facilities where fees are otherwise applicable. A DDA fee notice for Baansera Park, posted on the authority’s website, also shows that ticketed entry structures exist at some parks covered by the waiver. ### Who ordered the change, and why? (aninews.in) Sandhu issued the direction in line with “the Prime Minister’s vision to promote the Fit India Movement,” according to ANI’s May 14 report. Officials said the aim was to provide relief to morning walkers, joggers and fitness enthusiasts and to encourage healthy outdoor activity across the city. (dda.gov.in) The same report said all other DDA parks continue to remain open free of cost for the general public. That means the order is focused on a smaller group of ticketed parks and heritage greens rather than the wider universe of ordinary neighborhood parks. ### How large is the DDA park network? (aninews.in) DDA manages more than 16,000 acres of green assets, including over 700 parks, biodiversity zones, city forests, regional parks and neighborhood gardens, ANI reported. The authority says on its website that it oversees a wide range of park categories and maintains online services for park-related access and feedback. (aninews.in) Those figures help explain why the order names specific sites rather than applying a blanket rule to every green space in Delhi. Most DDA parks were already free, according to officials cited by ANI. ### What should walkers check before going? Morning visitors should check whether their destination is one of the 12 named sites and whether they are arriving before 10 a.m. (aninews.in) The reports do not mention any change for later entry hours, special events or separate facility charges. DDA’s website includes park information pages and an online ticket-booking portal, which are the most likely places for operational details to appear if the authority updates access rules or site-level instructions. As of the May 14-15 reports, the named participants in the next step are DDA staff implementing the waiver at the listed parks and heritage sites. (dda.gov.in) (aninews.in)