A memorial park dedicated to Operation Sindoor has been planned to come up near Bhuj, a town near Gujarat’s Kutch district, bordering Pakistan. To be called ‘Sindoor Van’ (Sindoor Forest), the park will be a high-density micro forest, Gujarat government officials said on Tuesday.
To be spread across eight hectares on land belonging to the forest department in Mirzapur on the Bhuj-Mandvi road, the park will feature different sections dedicated to the Indian armed forces – the Army, Navy, Air Force and also the Border Security Force (BSF), said Sandeep Kumar, Chief Conservator of Forests, Kutch Circle.
Kutch district shares both land and maritime borders with Pakistan, where first terror hubs, and later airbases were targeted by the Indian armed forces in retaliatory strikes during India and Pakistan’s May 7-10 conflict.
The site earmarked for the memorial includes a portion of land where Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public meeting on May 26 during his first visit to Gujarat after Operation Sindoor, Kumar said.
“This high density micro forest or ‘Van Kavach’ will come up on eight hectares of forest land at Mirzapar. We will grow nearly 80,000 plants, herbs, shrubs and climbers of around 40 to 45 species in this park dedicated to Operation Sindoor. We will amalgamate the bravery and courage of our armed forces in this park,” explained Kumar.
The park with high-density plantation will also serve as lungs for the town and spread a message of environment conservation, he maintained.
“Operation Sindoor will be the central theme of this park. We will create different sections dedicated to the Army, Navy, Air Force and BSF in the park and install murals of defence equipment and platform such as INS Vikrant, drones and S-400 missile system to make people aware about the Operation,” informed Kumar.
During the event on May 26, the Prime Minister had met some of the surviving women who had helped in rebuilding the airfield in Bhuj which was bombed during the 1971 war with Pakistan.
“At that time, these brave women gave a sapling of Sindoor (vermillion) tree to the PM. That gave us the idea of creating a micro forest on the Sindoor theme. We will also plant saplings of Sindoor tree or Bixa orellana in this park,” said Kumar.
India and Pakistan engaged in a high-volatile military offensive after a deadly terror attack in Pahalgam on Aprill 22 that claimed 26 lives. India accused Pakistan of having orchestrated the attack across the border.
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