Peshawar, Pakistan
City population: 2412000
Duration: 2021 – 2022
Implementation status: Completed
Scale: Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Project area: 129499 m2
Type of area: Previous derelict area, Other
Last updated: April 2023

Gulistan-e-Hazar Khwani Park, also called Family Ring Road Park, is located in Peshawar, the capital city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province of Pakistan. Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) developed the park with funds from the Local Government Elections and Rural Development Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ( 1, 2, 4). The park has been constructed on a site which was used as an active dumping site for more than two decades. The project aimed to enhance the new look of the city by creating a park as a space of leisure and joy for children and families (1, 6). As such almost 20,000 species of trees were planted with a small Miyawaki forest being developed in the location (2). The total area of the park is about 32 acres and it took almost six months to develop the park for its initial stages. It took almost 20,000 rounds of trucks to remove the dump from the site and another 20,000 to bring sand to the site to level the ground. The park offers multiple facilities including jogging and walking tracks, play areas for children, a zoo area, rose gardens and big lush green lawns (1, 2, 6).

Aerial View of Park in development phase
Source: (Ref: 7)

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Parks and urban forests
  • Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces

Key challenges

  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Health and well-being (SDG 3)
  • Enabling opportunities for physical activity
  • Improving mental health
  • Creation of opportunities for recreation

Focus

Creation of new green areas, Transformation of previously derelict areas

Project objectives

The project envisioned to: 1. Develop a lush green park on a dumping site. 2. Establish it as the largest park in the province. 3. Create a mutual space for leisure and joy. 3. Provide state-of-the-art amenities, especially for children and families. 4. Create a new look for the city besides recreational facilities for the locals. (1,2,3,6)

Implementation activities

Gulistan-e-Hazar Khwani Park has been constructed on an active dumping site for the last two decades by Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) in 2021. It took almost 20,000 rounds of trucks to remove the dump from the site and another 20,000 to bring sand to the site to level the ground. The project focused on turning the 32 acres area into a lush green park with ample facilities to develop a new look of the city (1, 6). In almost six months a black spot and the largest dumping ground in the provincial capital had been transformed into a stunning park with a lot of facilities for children and families. The park has a 1.5km long jogging track, parking space for about 150 cars, a special track for special people, a children's play area on 13 Kanal of land, benches, lush green lawns, rose gardens, a fountain, an open-air gymnasium, a cafeteria, restrooms and a separate space allocated for setting up a zoo (1, 2, 6). The jogging track of the park is the most modern and a much-needed addition for the residents (1). The officials claimed that park will provide people with opportunities to stay mentally and physically fit and healthy. One day is dedicated only to families and children in the park to provide the chance to develop active habits and spend some quality time (1). The local people highly appreciated this initiative of the government and foresee it as a great opportunity for the people residing in the city (6).

Main beneficiaries

  • Local government/Municipality
  • Citizens or community groups
  • Young people and children

Governance

Management set-up

  • Government-led

Type of initiating organisation

  • Regional government
  • Local government/municipality

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Unknown

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

The Park has been established by Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) and is currently operated by them as well. PDA has turned a dumping and trash site into a park with funds from the Local government, Elections and Rural Development Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (1,4,6).

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? No
... a national policy or strategy? Unknown
... a local policy or strategy? Unknown

Financing

Total cost

€500,000 - €2,000,000

Source(s) of funding

  • Public local authority budget
  • Public national budget

Type of funding

  • Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)

Non-financial contribution

No

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased green space area
  • Increased number of species present

Economic impacts

  • Unknown

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Health and wellbeing
  • Improved physical health
  • Improved mental health

Type of reported impacts

Expected impacts, Achieved impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Yes

Presence of indicators used in reporting

Yes

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

No evidence in public records

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

References

Park views
Source: (Ref: 5)
Facilities offered in park
Source: (Ref: 4)
Walkways of park
Source: (Ref: 7)
Park track
Source: (Ref: 7)
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the "NBS 2022" UNA Asian extension project funded by the Asia-Europe Foundation.