The tree census in Nagpur has documented 37.03 lakh trees as of June 2, marking a 73% increase from the 21.43 lakh trees recorded in the city's last census in 2011. This milestone indicates a growing urban green cover even before the exercise is fully completed.
Ongoing Survey and Remaining Zones
The census is currently underway in the Laxmi Nagar zone, while the Dharampeth and Mangalwari zones are yet to be surveyed completely. Earlier this year, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) informed the court that preliminary enumeration had crossed 26 lakh trees, with officials expecting the final figure to rise considerably after the remaining zones are covered.
Greenest Zones Revealed
Among the zones, Nehru Nagar has emerged as the greenest with 7.41 lakh trees, followed by Dhantoli with 6.01 lakh trees and Ashi Nagar with 4.91 lakh trees. Hanuman Nagar recorded 3.93 lakh trees, while Lakadganj accounted for 2.53 lakh trees. In contrast, the densely built commercial and old-city areas of Gandhibagh (59,528 trees) and Satranjipura (42,835 trees) continue to have comparatively lower tree numbers.
Surprise in Laxmi Nagar Zone
The Laxmi Nagar zone has sprung the biggest surprise, with the ongoing exercise already documenting 8.05 lakh trees. This surpasses the 6.08 lakh trees recorded there in 2011, when it was the city's greenest zone.
Technology and Conservation Efforts
The census is being conducted using GIS and GPS-enabled technology, assigning a unique identity to every tree and recording multiple parameters, including species, height, and girth. These findings come at a time when urban tree conservation has gained prominence. In recent months, the NMC informed the court that it removed concrete encroachments around more than 7,400 trees, while several infrastructure projects have been redesigned to protect heritage trees.
