Surat to go green, plans afoot to plant 50,000 saplings in 60 hectares  

Surat Municipal Corporation

Surat Municipal CorporationAiming to tackle the issue of rising air pollution and spruce up the city, Surat Municipal Corporation has decided to go green by planting as many as 50,000 saplings of different varieties in 60 hectares at Althan in Surat city.

Besides planting saplings, the municipal corporation will also build ponds and small play zones for children under the project, which was included in the list of Smart City Challenge projects and will get funds from the Central Government.

“In order to make the city greener, we are using washed away land on the banks of the Kakra creek. The estimated area to have forestry wherein different species of trees will be grown is 60 percent. Also, a walkway and a small kids’ play area is also in the list of development. The estimated cost of this project would be around Rs 40 crore,” said Rajesh Pandya, Deputy Municipal Commissioner, Surat Municipal Corporation.

This apart, the idea for implementation of the Weir-cum-causeway project along the Tapi River has been forwarded to the officials of Municipal Corporation. It will incorporate construction of a 33-km riverfront on the banks of Tapi River, connecting Bhatha village with Rundh village, Pandya added.

Among the other development-related projects listed by the civic body to be included in the Smart City Challenge are battery-operated rickshaws; development of city square between Kasturba garden to Gandhi Baug; and providing kiosks at various locations.