Pune: PMC Marks Environment Day With Native Tree Plantations Along River Rejuvenation Corridor
Pune: PMC Marks Environment Day With Native Tree Plantations Along River Rejuvenation Corridor
Pune | June 5, 2025 – To mark World Environment Day, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) carried out a major tree plantation drive as part of its ongoing River Rejuvenation Project, which focuses on the integrated development of the Mula, Mutha, and Mula-Mutha rivers. These rivers span a total of 44.40 kilometers through the city.
The riverfront development is underway on two key stretches — a 3.7-kilometer segment from Sangamwadi to Bund Garden Bridge (Stretch 9) and a 5.3-kilometer stretch from Bund Garden to Mundhwa Bridge (Stretches 10 and 11). So far, a 300-meter section between Shadul Baba Dargah and Ganesh Ghat under Stretch 9 has been completed, while an 800-meter stretch near Koregaon Park is nearing completion.
PMC is replacing invasive and non-native species like Subabul, Prosopis Juliflora, and Mesquite with carefully planned native tree varieties. The newly planted species include flowering trees such as Kadamba, Bakul, and Kanchan; fruit-bearing trees like Mango, Jamun, Arjun, and Fig, which benefit local wildlife; and large shade-providing trees like Neem, Peepal, and Banyan.
A total of 1,250 saplings, each 10–15 feet tall, were planted till now. Of these, 850 were planted on forest department land, 150 within the Yerwada Jail premises, and the remaining 250 along the promenade and gabion areas between Sangamwadi and Kalyaninagar bridges.
In earlier phases of the project, PMC had already planted over 5,000 indigenous trees. This includes 4,000 trees on forest land, 500 on army sports grounds, and several along the river improvement promenade.
PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram and Additional Commissioner (Estate) Prithviraj B.P. were present at the event to support the greening initiative.
