Amit Shah launches Mission Five Million Trees in Ahmedabad, flags off ₹405 crore projects
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Sunday, 12 July launched a mass tree plantation campaign in Ahmedabad, formally inaugurating the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's (AMC) Mission 'Five Million Trees' initiative alongside the inauguration and foundation stone laying of civic infrastructure projects collectively valued at approximately ₹405 crore.
Launch at Science City
Shah began the day at 8.30 am at the Science Dome in Science City, located in the Sola area of Ahmedabad. The venue served as the formal launchpad for the city-wide plantation campaign, which aims to dramatically expand Ahmedabad's urban green cover through large-scale community participation. The same event also marked the inauguration and foundation stone laying of development projects jointly undertaken by the AMC, the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA), and the Roads and Buildings Department.
Three Plantation Drives Across the City
Following the inaugural event, Shah participated in a series of tree plantation programmes at multiple locations across Ahmedabad. At 9.30 am, he attended a drive in Thaltej Ward of the Ghatlodia Assembly constituency, at an AMC plot on the Gota-Godhavi Canal in Bhadaj.
The second plantation programme was held at 9.55 am in Sarkhej Ward of the Vejalpur Assembly constituency, at an AMC plot near Applewood on S.P. Ring Road in Bopal. Shah concluded the morning's plantation events at 10.25 am in Stadium Ward of the Naranpura Assembly constituency, at the NDDB plot opposite the Wadaj BRTS corridor near Gandhi Ashram.
₹405 Crore Infrastructure Push
The civic projects launched and inaugurated during the visit span multiple wards and are being executed jointly by AMC, AUDA, and the Roads and Buildings Department. The combined outlay of around ₹405 crore is aimed at strengthening public infrastructure across Ahmedabad. Specific project details were outlined in the programme schedule released ahead of the visit.
Mission Five Million Trees: The Bigger Picture
The AMC's Mission Five Million Trees is an ambitious urban greening drive designed to counter the heat island effect and improve air quality in one of Gujarat's fastest-growing cities. Ahmedabad has faced recurring extreme heat events in recent years, making urban forestry a civic priority. The campaign's reliance on community participation is intended to ensure sustained maintenance beyond the plantation phase — historically a weak link in such drives.
Shah, who represents the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, is among the senior-most Union ministers to lend political weight to the initiative, signalling the Centre's alignment with the AMC's green agenda. All four scheduled events on 12 July were part of his single-day visit to Gujarat.