The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has planted 8.29 lakh saplings in Delhi as part of the current plantation season, which started in early July and will run until mid-September 2026. These saplings consist of 35,570 trees and 7.93 lakh shrubs. Specifically in the Ridge areas, the DDA has planted 27,062 saplings, including 12,506 trees and 14,556 shrubs, following the directives of Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu for ecological restoration.
As per the approved Working Plan for the Delhi Ridge, the DDA is executing a restoration program to rebuild self-sustaining native forest ecosystems and enhance Delhi’s biodiversity and environmental resilience. This initiative is part of the 70 Lakh Plantation Mission initiated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign on July 7. The DDA’s goal is to plant 23 lakh indigenous saplings throughout the National Capital.
In a shift from traditional plantation drives, the focus is now on landscape-scale ecological restoration to strengthen natural infrastructure. The DDA is replacing invasive vegetation with native species like Bargad, Peepal, Neem, Sheesham, and others, along with native shrubs such as Harshringar, Karonda, and Curry Leaf. The program also involves removing invasive trees and shrubs to restore the original structure and ecological functions of Delhi’s native Ridge forests.
Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu recently visited the Ridge area to assess its ecological status and directed the DDA to implement scientific restoration measures. The DDA has commenced ecological restoration over about 120 hectares across various ridges, aiming to plant nearly 1 lakh indigenous trees and 81,700 native shrubs while ensuring sustained post-plantation maintenance.
