New Delhi, April 19: The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has successfully conducted a national hackathon named ‘Green Manthan 2026’ in collaboration with the startup ecosystem of Delhi University. This initiative aims to enhance the management of the city’s parks and green spaces through innovative solutions.
Three winning teams were selected during the competition, as confirmed by an official on Sunday. The top teams received initial funding of up to 1 million rupees from the DDA. Among the winners, two teams emerged from the technology track, while one team was from the policy track. Additionally, they were offered incubation opportunities through the ‘Udyamodaya Foundation’ to further develop their startups.
On the second day of the event, Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor, Tarunjeet Singh Sandhu, inaugurated the proceedings. He emphasized the critical role of fresh and unique ideas from youth in urban development, public infrastructure, and environmental protection.
DDA Vice Chairman N. Saravanan Kumar stated that ‘Green Manthan’ is not merely a one-time event. It is part of the DDA’s commitment to embrace and test new ideas continuously. The goal is to identify solutions that can be refined and implemented on a large scale within the authority’s ecosystem over time.
The two-day event, held on April 17 and 18, provided a platform for youth to present innovative, practical, and scalable solutions for environmental care and sustainable development of urban green spaces.
The winning teams distinguished themselves with their unique, robust, and practical ideas, setting a new benchmark for innovation in urban greenery.
The DDA also mentioned that teams that did not win would still have the opportunity to collaborate with the ‘Udyamodaya Foundation’ to further develop their ideas.
As one of the largest organizations responsible for managing urban environmental infrastructure, the DDA oversees over 16,000 acres of parks, biodiversity areas, and city forests in Delhi. Due to the extensive scope of its work, the DDA requires affordable and effective technological solutions that can be easily implemented.
‘Green Manthan 2026’ was initiated to address this need, encouraging youth to devise new and practical solutions that can be applied on the ground.
Approximately 50 teams participated in the hackathon, representing 31 colleges from seven states. The competition was conducted in two categories: technology and policy.
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