Srinagar, Mar 28: Over half of the parks and lawns maintained by the Floriculture Department in Kashmir are located in Srinagar district, while Anantnag accounts for another 33 percent. Together, the two districts host nearly 83 percent of the region’s total park area, official data presented in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly revealed.
The data also highlighted an uneven distribution of green spaces, particularly in Srinagar, where the department maintains significantly more VIP lawns than public parks. According to district-wise figures, Srinagar has 30 public parks compared to 85 VIP lawns—almost three times the number accessible to the general public. The department also manages five nurseries in the district.
In terms of area, public parks in Srinagar cover around 201.60 hectares, while VIP lawns account for 13.29 hectares and nurseries 25.45 hectares, bringing the total green space under department management in the district to over 240 hectares. This information was shared in response to a question by legislator Sham Lal Sharma.
Across Kashmir, the Directorate of Floriculture oversees 211 parks, lawns, and nurseries, spanning more than 431 hectares. Anantnag has 30 parks, followed by Baramulla with 16 and Budgam with 10 public parks. Srinagar alone accounts for about 240.34 hectares, while Anantnag covers 116.3 hectares—together making up 83.3 percent of Kashmir’s total park area.
Notable parks in Srinagar include tourist and heritage sites such as Nishat Garden, Shalimar Garden, Chashmashahi, Pari Mahal, Harwan, Badamwari Park, and the Tulip Garden. Chashmashahi is the largest public park in Kashmir, spanning 1,092 kanals, while the Tulip Garden covers 602 kanals. Nishat and Shalimar gardens together account for around 600 kanals under department maintenance.
The government informed the Assembly that no new parks are currently planned in Jammu and Kashmir, with efforts focused on restoring, upgrading, and consolidating existing assets. However, a Chrysanthemum Theme Garden was established at the Nehru Memorial Botanical Garden in Srinagar in 2025 at a cost of ₹176.79 lakh as part of ongoing development initiatives.
The data also noted that several parks in Jammu and Kashmir are either outsourced or being developed by tourism and other development authorities, including in Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Rajouri, and Bandipora. (Agency)
