Despite having legal mandates and annual budget allocations, Pune’s roadside tree plantation remains far below required levels, drawing criticism from environmentalists and activists. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has been accused of mismanagement and inaction in planting and maintaining trees along the city’s barren roads and dividers. Key areas such as Gultekdi Chowk, Gangadham Chowk, Market Yard Road, Yerwada, and Hadapsar have incomplete or deteriorating tree plantations, despite sanctioned budgets for the purpose, environmentalists allege.
Ameet Singh, an economist and environmentalist, told The Free Press Journal (FPJ), “As per the Tree Act, Schedule 1 [Section 7 (H)], one tree should be planted at 10-metre intervals on both sides of roads. We have been highlighting this for years, but the garden department claims they are not getting space from the road department, while the road department blames the garden department. It’s a blame game instead of proper action.”
Pune has approximately 2,000–2,100 kilometres of roads, which should ideally have around 20 lakh roadside trees. However, the current count is a dismal 3–3.5 lakh trees. Activists argue that despite sufficient funds, the civic administration has failed to address the issue effectively.
Samaiirah Rathore, another activist, pointed out, “Dividers on roads from Camp to Kondhwa were designed for tree plantation, but they remain empty. The situation is similar on Vishrantwadi Road, Fatima Nagar Road, and Wanawadi Road. The PMC needs to plant more trees in dedicated spaces. Funds are sanctioned annually, but we don’t see them being utilised properly.”
Ashok Ghorpade, who heads PMC’s Garden Department, defended the civic body’s plantation efforts.
“Tree plantation at required dividers is ongoing. However, work has been halted in some areas due to flyover and road construction. We will recheck the remaining areas under our jurisdiction and ensure trees are planted soon,” Ghorpade told the FPJ.
The PMC’s failure to meet tree plantation targets has raised concerns about the city’s green cover and air quality. Environmentalists have urged the civic body to prioritise tree plantation and maintenance, emphasising the need for better coordination between the civic body’s departments.
