Nature’s new nest: India’s 1st oxygen bird park opens its wings at Maharashtra's Jamtha

NAGPUR: Call it an oasis of greenery and bustling biodiversity, India's first Oxygen Bird Park near Jamtha, has it all. Spread across 8 hectares housing over 8,000 diverse plant species, the park — developed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) at a cost of Rs14.32 crore — is designed not only to serve as a sanctuary for birds but also as an eco-tourist destination for travellers visiting Nagpur — the "Tiger Capital of India".

Strategically located at the Jamtha intersection of Nagpur-Hyderabad and Mumbai-Kolkata highways, the park features natural lakes and fruit-bearing trees aimed at attracting a variety of bird species. It offers facilities such as jogging and cycling tracks, an amphitheatre, and a food court, transforming a highway stop into a vibrant ecological retreat in the lap of nature. The park features a 3.1-hectare Miyawaki forest — an afforestation method developed that is fast growing, has dense vegetation and requires little to no management overtime.

Inaugurating the park on Saturday, Union minister Nitin Gadkari underscored the importance of combating pollution and preserving nature. Creating a pollution-free country should be everybody's priority, he said. "Cutting a tree is equivalent to killing a human. We should have contractors involved in road construction to prioritise transplanting trees rather than cutting them down," he added.

The park also has 30 water recharge pits to support water conservation efforts. Additionally, a section of the park is dedicated to conservation of plant species that are on the verge of extinction, reinforcing its role in biodiversity preservation. To minimise its carbon footprint, the park will be illuminated using solar panels.

The minister revealed plans to e-tag the newly planted trees and apply for carbon credits. "The money earned from these credits will be reinvested in similar afforestation projects, helping to promote ecological balance and environmental conservation."

Gadkari also expressed concerns about the growing impact of pollution on public health, stating, "Pollution is causing serious health issues and significantly reducing life expectancy." He added that 40% of the pollution is due to fossil fuel, however, efforts are being made to use biofuels and other sustainable alternatives.

Gadkari shared an anecdote about cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar. "Sachin called me yesterday, saying he's coming to Tadoba and wanted to have poha at my place. I told him: ‘Come for Poha but let me take you to the Oxygen Bird Park for coffee'."

NHAI Nagpur regional office chief general manager RP Singh said the project took 21 months to complete. While some facilities like the coffee shop and food court are still in the bidding process, Singh added that the park will be fully operational by 2025. However, visitors can already stop by and enjoy the park's serene environment.

The event was attended by MoRTH secretary Anurag Jain, NHAI chairperson Santosh Kumar Yadav, MP Shyamkumar Barve, MLAs Ashish Jaiswal, Tekchand Savarkar, Vikas Kumbhare among other dignitaries and officials.