World Environment Day Translocated Trees Breathe Hope Into Lucknow

Translocated trees have scripted a heartwarming real-life tale of resilience with a high survival rate at key sites in Lucknow, breathing new life into the city’s green profile and providing multiple ecological benefits.

Around 600 of these mature trees once stood in the path of major infrastructure projects in the state capital but they were uprooted, transported and replanted years ago instead of being cut down. They are still alive today. Many residents pass these trees every day without realising that a remarkable survival story lies behind each one and could shape the future of urban development in the city.

On World Environment Day, as concerns over climate change, rising temperatures and shrinking green spaces dominate public discourse, Lucknow’s experience with tree translocation demonstrates that cities do not always have to choose between development and environmental protection.

The most prominent example comes from the construction of Lucknow Metro, one of the state’s largest infrastructure projects in recent decades.

Sushil Kumar, Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation managing director, said, “When the Metro project was being planned, hundreds of mature trees stood in areas earmarked for construction. Traditionally, such trees would have been felled and replaced through compensatory plantation drives. Instead, authorities chose a different path: transplantation.”

Nearly 600 Peepal, Banyan, Molshree, Semal, Kanji and Lasora trees were carefully relocated from project sites, including the Metro depot and the Polytechnic area. Today, more than 95% of those translocated trees have survived, making it one of the most successful large-scale tree transplantation exercises in the country.

The work was carried out by Ajay Nagar, a Delhi-based horticulture expert and owner of Rohit Nursery, who is widely known as the “Tree Transplant Man.” Over the last 22 years, Nagar has overseen the transplantation of more than 25,000 to 30,000 trees across India.

For him, transplantation is not merely a technical process but a philosophy of conservation.

Talking on the phone from Delhi Ajay Nagar said, “A tree takes decades to grow. Instead of cutting it, we should make every effort to save it. A transplanted tree can continue providing shade, oxygen and ecological benefits immediately, whereas a new sapling may take years to reach that stage.”

Before transplantation, experts assess the tree’s age, health, species and root structure. Specialised machinery is used to excavate and transport it. A new site is prepared in advance, ensuring suitable soil and growing conditions. However, the most critical stage begins after relocation.

For nearly two months, the transplanted tree requires constant monitoring, irrigation and nutrient support. Experts compare the care needed during this period to that required by a newborn child. It is this scientific post-transplant management that largely determines whether a tree survives.

The significance of Lucknow’s surviving transplanted trees goes far beyond numbers.

Every mature tree functions as a natural environmental asset. It absorbs carbon dioxide, traps dust particles, lowers surrounding temperatures, supports biodiversity and improves air quality. Environmental experts often point out that replacing a 30 or 40-year-old tree with a newly planted sapling creates a gap that may take decades to fill.

Large trees act as natural air conditioners, said Inderjit Singh, secretary, NEDA, and former Lucknow municipal commissioner.

Their canopies reduce surface temperatures, provide shade and help combat the urban heat island effect—a phenomenon in which built-up areas become significantly warmer than surrounding regions. As Lucknow continues to expand through new roads, housing projects, commercial developments and transport corridors, the challenge of balancing growth with environmental sustainability is becoming more urgent.

Before granting permission for tree felling, project agencies could be required to conduct a scientific assessment to determine whether the trees can be relocated.

Such a policy would not eliminate the need for tree cutting altogether, but it could significantly reduce the loss of established green cover.The process itself is far more complex than simply uprooting and moving a tree.

Apart from the Metro project, tree transplantation has also been carried out at the Gomti Riverfront, Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, Polytechnic College and Lakshman Mela Ground. Survival rates at these locations have reportedly remained above 85%.

Anupam Srivastava is a Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times, Lucknow. Has produced exclusive stories in medical, civil aviation, civic, political and other issues for over 20 years.