By Kavita Sharma
Photo Credit: The Suncity News
New Delhi, April 17, 2026: The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has launched “ Harit Marathon 2026,” a national-level hackathon aimed at fostering innovation in urban biodiversity and green space management.
The initiative is being held in collaboration with the Udhmodya Foundation, the startup ecosystem of the University of Delhi.
Scheduled for April 17-18, 2026, the two-day event in the national capital seeks to bring together young innovators to develop practical, scalable solutions for urban ecological challenges.
DDA highlighted a critical urban challenge:
With stewardship of over 16,000 acres of parks, biodiversity zones, and city forests, DDA is one of India’s largest custodians of urban green infrastructure.
However, it has identified a pressing gap—the lack of cost-effective, scalable technological solutions that can be implemented at a government level.
In its official statement, DDA emphasized that Delhi’s green spaces are vital public assets and called upon student innovators to contribute solutions that can protect and enhance this ecological inheritance.
The hackathon features two parallel tracks, including a technology challenge, wherein it focuses on digital, data-driven tools for monitoring and managing green spaces and a policy challenge, aimed at strengthening governance, planning, and regulatory frameworks for urban ecology.
The competition is open to students from recognized institutions across India, with teams of 2 to 5 members, encouraging interdisciplinary participation from fields such as technology, environmental science, design, and public policy.
Participants will work on six core themes, such as measuring the ecological performance of green spaces, enhancing public engagement, developing sustainable financing models, promoting community participation, and leveraging green infrastructure to combat pollution.
From ideas to implementation:
A key highlight of Harit Marathon 2026 is its strong focus on execution. Selected teams will be eligible for seed funding of up to Rs 10 lakh, a 12-month incubation program under Udhmodya Foundation, mentorship, workspaces access, support for scaling and fundraising, and pilot opportunities within DDA-managed parks and green spaces.
The hackathon is structured over two days. On day 1, mentorship sessions and pitch refinement at Maya Art Gallery, Indraprastha Park, and on day 2, final presentations at Atal Akshaya Urja Bhawan.
Results will be declared on April 18, 2026, followed by an incubation phase running until March 2027.
A March toward participatory governance:
Through Harit Marathon 2026, DDA is not only seeking innovative solutions but also attempting to build a collaborative ecosystem for urban sustainability—bridging government institutions, academia, and young innovators.
The initiative reflects a broader shift in governance models, moving away from purely top-down approaches toward participatory, innovation-driven frameworks that place citizens and emerging talent at the center of environmental problem-solving.
Also Read: DDA will organize Heritage Week in Delhi to promote culture and youth engagement.
EOM.
