The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has unveiled an ambitious plan to plant five million trees across the city during the monsoon season of 2026 under its newly launched 'Mission Five Million Trees' campaign. The civic body is also seeking support from private companies and organizations to fund the plantation of two million saplings.
Stakeholder Meeting Kickstarts Initiative
To initiate the drive, the AMC's garden department organized a stakeholders' meeting at the Sabarmati Riverfront, chaired by Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani. Representatives from non-governmental organizations, corporate social responsibility (CSR) agencies, private companies, educational institutions, and public-private partnership (PPP) partners attended the session to discuss collaboration for the large-scale plantation drive and environmental awareness activities.
Details of the Campaign
Officials stated that the civic body aims to enhance Ahmedabad's green cover through a 100-day plantation campaign during the current fiscal year. This initiative follows the completion of the 'Mission 4 Million Trees' campaign undertaken in 2025. During the meeting, the AMC appealed to participating organizations to help identify suitable plantation sites, conduct awareness campaigns on the benefits of tree plantation, and encourage participation from schools, colleges, and residential communities. The civic body also proposed organizing workshops on tree care and environmental conservation, along with recruiting volunteers for plantation and maintenance activities.
Public Engagement Plans
To boost public engagement, the AMC plans to launch a dedicated theme song for the campaign and install selfie points themed around '5 Million Trees' at prominent locations across the city. These initiatives are designed to create a sense of community involvement and highlight the importance of increasing green cover.
Controversy Surrounding Previous Drive
However, the new campaign comes amid controversy surrounding last year's plantation drive. Under the 'Mission 4 Million Trees' initiative, contractors were initially assigned the task of planting and maintaining 20 lakh (2 million) trees at an estimated cost of Rs 64 crore. Civic records show that 29 lakh (2.9 million) trees were eventually planted, pushing the expenditure to Rs 131 crore — an increase of Rs 67 crore that triggered criticism and scrutiny over the project's execution and costs. The AMC has not yet commented on how it plans to address these concerns in the new mission.
