BMRCL to plant 20,000 saplings for Blue Line metro as green cover boost

In a Rs 8.08 crore initiative, Bengaluru Metro will compensate for tree loss along the Blue Line by planting 20,000 saplings with three years of assured upkeep.

The Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is going green alongside its rapid urban expansion. To balance the large-scale tree felling caused by the construction of the upcoming Metro Blue Line, officials have announced an ambitious plan to plant 20,000 saplings across Harohalli, Doddaballapur, and KIADB Park buffer zones.

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The plantation drive, estimated at Rs 8.08 crore, will not just be about planting but also about nurturing, with BMRCL assuring maintenance for at least three years to ensure survival and growth. Out of the total, 10,000 saplings are earmarked for each corridor of the Blue Line.

So far, over 4,300 trees have been cut and more than 1,600 have been relocated to make way for construction. Following directions from the Supreme Court, Metro authorities are also adopting a strict 1:10 ratio, meaning ten new saplings must replace every tree lost.

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Phase 3, which stretches from Hebbal to JP Nagar 4th Phase and Hosahalli to Kadabagere, has seen a recalibration in its green impact, earlier plans to cut 11,000 trees have been scaled down to around 6,000. However, project assessments suggest the final figure may be over 11,000 across 44.65 km.

The 58.19 km-long Blue Line, which will have 30 stations and connect Central Silk Board to KR Puram and eventually Kempegowda International Airport, is expected to cost Rs 14,788 crore. Partial operations are projected to begin by September 2026, a deadline closely watched by commuters and environmentalists alike.

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