Gandhinagar: In a significant step towards promoting urban greenery and honoring tribal heritage, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurated a new Urban Forest Park in Lambha Ward, South Zone of Ahmedabad, on Friday. The project, developed by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, aims to enhance environmental sustainability in the city.
Urban Forest Details: A Green Oasis in the City
The newly developed Urban Forest spans 4,464 square meters and was completed at a cost of ₹55 lakh. The park features a plantation of approximately 8,000 indigenous trees using the Miyawaki method, which promotes dense and fast-growing forests.
Tree species planted include:
- Teak (Tectona grandis)
- Khair (Cutch tree)
- Bamboo
- Siris (Albizia lebbeck)
- Sissu (Dalbergia sissoo)
- Arjun (Terminalia arjuna)
To support visitor access and encourage eco-tourism, a 250-meter-long walkway has also been constructed within the forest area.
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Tribute to Tribal Legacy: Statue of Bhagwan Birsa Munda Unveiled
As part of the inauguration ceremony, CM Bhupendra Patel also unveiled a statue of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, the iconic tribal leader and freedom fighter. This addition signifies the state’s effort to integrate cultural reverence with ecological projects.
Dignitaries in Attendance
The event was graced by several key officials, including:
- Ahmedabad Mayor: Pratibha Jain
- Municipal Commissioner: Banchhanidhi Pani
- Local MLAs, corporators, and senior AMC officials
Mission Four Million Trees – 2025: City’s Ambitious Greening Campaign
Under the leadership of CM Patel, Ahmedabad is pursuing an ambitious campaign titled “Mission Four Million Trees – 2025”, aiming to plant 40 lakh trees citywide.
As of August 7, 2025, the city has already planted 27,11,443 trees, achieving 66.77% of the target. AMC is expected to complete the remaining plantation in the coming weeks.
198 Urban Forests and Oxygen Parks Across the City
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has already developed 198 Urban Forests/Oxygen Parks using the Miyawaki and other dense plantation techniques.
Zone-wise distribution of forests:
- East Zone: 58
- West Zone: 30
- North Zone: 29
- South Zone: 18
- North-West Zone: 32
- South-West Zone: 31
Over One Crore Trees Planted in Six Years
According to AMC, the Garden Department has planted over one crore trees across the city in the past six years.
Year-wise tree plantation data:
- 2019–20: 11,58,387 trees
- 2020–21: 10,13,856 trees
- 2021–22: 12,82,014 trees
- 2022–23: 20,75,431 trees
- 2023–24: 20,06,190 trees
- 2024–25 (so far): 30,13,151 trees
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A Model for Urban Sustainability and Heritage Recognition
This initiative showcases a unique blend of environmental responsibility and cultural homage. While the Urban Forest Park supports biodiversity and urban well-being, the statue of Bhagwan Birsa Munda reinforces Gujarat’s respect for tribal history.
With such progressive steps, Ahmedabad is emerging as a national model in sustainable urban development and green governance.
