New Delhi [India], February 11 : Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and Netherland Ambassador to India Marisa Gerards on Tuesday atteneded the Tulip Festival organised by New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) at Shanti Path.
Delhi LG Saxena informed that NMDC imported about 3 lakh 25 thousand tulips and Delhi Development Authority has planted tulips in 20 parks. He added that 15000 indigenous tulips have also been planted.
"Ever since I took over as the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, I wanted to make Delhi a city of flowers and this is a step taken in that direction. NDMC has imported about 3 lakh 25 thousand tulips. DDA has also planted tulips in 20 parks. Here 15 thousand tulips have been planted indigenously, Saxena said.
Saxena added Gerards have appreciated efforts of government to plant tulips.
"Delhi is a very beautiful city and we will make it more beautiful. Netherlands Ambassador to India Marisa Gerards appreciated our efforts. The friendship between Netherlands and India will increase," Saxena said.
Gerards said, "The Tulip festival is one of the best in the world. I give them full credit that they came up with this idea to start planting tulips."
On Monday, Marisa Gerards, has called tulip the symbol of friendship between two nations, which she termed "very special."
She spoke about planting tulips in Netherlands House in Delhi this year.
Speaking to ANI, Gerards recalled that New Delhi and Netherlands teamed up to plant tulips in the city around the G20 Summit held in 2023 and did it again last year. Notably, the G20 Summit was held under India's presidency in September 2023.
On Tulip festival in Delhi, Marisa Gerards said, "Well, I arrived in India, 1.5 years ago and I could see around the G20, that the Netherlands and the city of Delhi that we teamed up to plant the tulips in the city to celebrate and we did it again last year. And when I saw how well the tulips are growing, I said, we should actually also include residence of the Dutch ambassador and also plant tulips here. So, that's what we did this year, plant tulips here. It was a bit scary to see if it could really work, but I think it does and we planted some tulips outside as well for the public to see and to join in the celebration of spring that's coming and clean air."