NDMC Vice Chairperson Chahal leads 46th plantation drive in Lodhi Colony
Synopsis
NDMC Vice Chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal completed a notable streak — 46 unbroken Sundays of the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' sapling drive in Lodhi Colony, blending environmental action with on-the-spot civic grievance resolution for residents.
Key Takeaways
NDMC Vice Chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal led the 46th consecutive Sunday plantation drive on 25 October 2026 .
The drive was held at Central Government Employees' C-3 Type-II flats, Lodhi Colony , under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign.
Residents planted saplings dedicated to their mothers and pledged to care for them until they mature.
Civic grievances including sewerage, waterlogging, tree pruning, encroachment and footpath redevelopment were raised and referred for action.
NDMC officers from Civil, Electrical, Health and Horticulture departments attended alongside RWA representatives and community members.
New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) Vice Chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal on Sunday, 25 October 2026, led a sapling plantation drive at the Central Government Employees' C-3 Type-II residential flats (Flat Nos. 209 to 224) in Lodhi Colony, marking 46 consecutive weekends of the environmental initiative 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam'. The drive, inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's national campaign of the same name, saw residents plant saplings in honour of their mothers and pledge to nurture them to full-grown trees.
Community Turnout and Participants
A cross-section of Lodhi Colony residents joined Chahal for the drive. Among those who participated were Rajendra Kothari, Manoj Dhyani, Narendra Bisht, Sanjay Negi, D.S. Bisht, Sonu Kumar, Ruchi Joshi, Rajni, and Poonam Lata, along with Residents' Welfare Association (RWA) office-bearers and other community members. Officers from NDMC's Civil, Electrical, Health and Horticulture departments were also present.
The turnout across 46 uninterrupted Sundays, Chahal said, reflects steadily growing public awareness about environmental protection in the capital's civic areas.
Message Behind the Campaign
Chahal emphasised that planting a sapling is only the first step — regular watering, timely care and active protection are equally critical to ensuring saplings survive and flourish. He noted that dedicating a tree to one's mother carries both an emotional resonance and a larger environmental message for future generations.
'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' has, according to Chahal, evolved beyond a plantation exercise into a broader movement encouraging citizens to take ownership of parks, residential colonies and neighbourhood green spaces. The NDMC, he said, is committed to not only expanding green cover but also to safeguarding already-planted saplings.
Residents Raise Local Civic Issues
The plantation event also served as an informal public grievance session. Residents raised concerns covering sewerage blockages, waterlogging, tree pruning, encroachment and the redevelopment of footpaths in the colony. Chahal directed the respective NDMC departmental teams to examine each issue and take appropriate action, underlining that timely inter-departmental coordination is central to effective civic administration.
He reiterated that direct engagement with residents is a core element of people-centric governance, allowing ground-level problems to be identified and resolved without bureaucratic delay.
Broader Green Cover Goal
This comes amid growing focus on urban greening in New Delhi, where air quality and tree canopy density remain perennial concerns. The consistent 46-week run of the campaign underscores institutional commitment within NDMC to sustain momentum beyond one-off drives. Every sapling nurtured today, Chahal said, has the potential to become a lasting green legacy for coming generations. The next Sunday drive is expected to continue the streak into its 47th week.
Point of View
But the real test of 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' is survival rates, not sapling count. Urban plantation campaigns in Indian cities have historically suffered from poor post-planting care, with mortality rates often exceeding 50%. The fact that Chahal used the event to hear civic grievances — sewerage, waterlogging, encroachment — is a pragmatic acknowledgement that green cover and basic infrastructure are intertwined: waterlogging and encroachment are among the leading causes of sapling loss. Whether NDMC tracks and publishes tree survival data from this campaign would be the real measure of its ambition.
NationPress
26 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign?
'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' is a nationwide plantation initiative inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in which citizens plant saplings dedicated to their mothers and commit to nurturing them. In New Delhi, the NDMC has been running the drive for 46 consecutive Sundays as of 25 October 2026.
Where was the 25 October 2026 plantation drive held?
The drive was held at the Central Government Employees' C-3 Type-II residential flats (Flat Nos. 209–224) in Lodhi Colony, New Delhi, led by NDMC Vice Chairperson Kuljeet Singh Chahal.
Who participated in the Lodhi Colony plantation drive?
Residents including Rajendra Kothari, Manoj Dhyani, Narendra Bisht, Sanjay Negi, D.S. Bisht, Sonu Kumar, Ruchi Joshi, Rajni and Poonam Lata took part, along with RWA representatives and NDMC departmental officers from Civil, Electrical, Health and Horticulture wings.
What civic issues did residents raise during the event?
Residents flagged concerns related to sewerage blockages, waterlogging, tree pruning, encroachment and footpath redevelopment. NDMC Vice Chairperson Chahal directed the relevant departmental teams to examine each issue and take appropriate action.
How long has NDMC been running this plantation drive?
As of 25 October 2026, the NDMC has conducted the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' drive for 46 consecutive Sundays without a break, reflecting sustained institutional commitment to the campaign.
