LUCKNOW, July 3 -- The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) will develop the city's first biodiversity park in Gomti Nagar on 75 acres of green belt land reclaimed from a prominent corporate group. The first phase of the project will cover 25 acres and cost Rs 14 crore, with work set to begin this month, said officials. The park, to be named Gomti Bio-Diversity Park, will be developed on the lines of Delhi's Yamuna Biodiversity Park. The project will feature additional attractions such as a fruit garden, medicinal garden and butterfly garden to enhance biodiversity. These elements will ensure the availability of food sources for insects, birds and small animals, making the ecosystem self-sustaining. The authority is clearing encroachments and garbage dumps from the land that had been leased to a corporate group, said LDA vice-chairman Prathamesh Kumar. In the first phase, the park will be developed between Dayal Paradise intersection and gate no. 5 of Janeshwar Mishra Park. The LDA has already finalised the implementing agency through a tender process, stated an official release. To attract native and migratory birds, the authority will create a large water body and develop the park's landscape using native grass, bushes, and trees. Officials said the plantation and design will mimic the natural habitat of birds and small creatures, helping them thrive in all seasons. LDA also plans to collect and preserve rare and endangered plant species found in the Gomti river basin. These species, many of which are on the verge of extinction, will be protected within the park's boundaries to support conservation efforts. To promote environmental education, the LDA will build a Natural Interpretation Center (NIC) in the park. Trained field biologists will engage with visiting students, providing information on the various plant, bird, animal and insect species found within the park. An LDA official said that with the launch of the Gomti Bio-Diversity Park, Lucknow will take a major step towards ecological preservation and creating green infrastructure within the urban landscape....