Gurgaon is preparing for a major expansion of roadside greenery, with nearly 37 kilometres of central road verges and pedestrian pathways set to be greened under a coordinated multi-agency action plan.
The initiative aims to enhance urban aesthetics, improve air quality, and strengthen the city’s environmental resilience. Civic authorities have aligned the plantation schedule with the monsoon season to ensure higher survival rates of saplings.
What the Plan Includes
According to official data submitted to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM):
◆23.3 km of central road verges will be greened
◆14 km of pedestrian pathways will receive fresh plantation
Currently, Gurgaon already has greenery across approximately:
◆198 km of central verges
◆219 km of pathways
The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) maintains the largest share of greened verges in the city, followed by agencies such as PWD, NHAI, HSVP and MCG.
Work to Begin With Monsoon
The plantation drive will primarily take place during the monsoon months, when conditions are most favourable for sapling growth.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is expected to undertake the largest share of new verge greening, followed by GMDA and the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG).
On pedestrian infrastructure, the focus this year is more on paving than plantation, with over 100 km of pathways proposed for paving work. However, only 14 km of pathways are slated for greening.
Urban planners have noted that heavy reliance on the monsoon window often results in execution pressure toward the latter half of the year.
Pollution Concerns Continue
While the green expansion is a positive step, environmental officials caution that roadside plantation alone cannot address Gurgaon’s air quality challenges.
Construction dust, broken pavements, unpaved stretches, and instances of waste burning continue to contribute significantly to rising PM10 levels in the city.
Experts say sustained maintenance, dust control measures, and enforcement against pollution sources are equally critical to making the greening drive effective.
Balancing Growth and Sustainability
As Gurgaon continues to expand rapidly, the latest green cover plan reflects an attempt to balance infrastructure growth with environmental responsibility. If implemented effectively, the initiative could improve roadside aesthetics and offer partial relief from urban heat and dust pollution.
