Community care and follow-up nurtured a major plantation drive
Indore has been certified by the Asia Book of World Records for having 13,10,012 trees growing at a single location after a plantation drive two years ago, officials said on Sunday. The achievement was formally recorded in the presence of BJP national organisation general secretary B.L. Santosh and Union minister and local leader Kailash Vijayvargiya, who led the campaign in 2024.
The plantation was launched in 2024 at the Revati Range, a rocky tract on the outskirts of Indore where organisers organised one of the country’s largest single-day sapling drives. More than 12.41 lakh saplings had been planted on that single day, setting a record at the time. Two years on, a detailed enumeration by the Asia Book of World Records confirmed that 13,10,012 trees are now present at the site.
“Two years ago, we did not merely create a world record. We planted saplings to improve the health of the earth and secure the future,” said B.L. Santosh after the certification was announced.
Officials credited sustained community participation and a systematic approach to post-plantation care for the high survival rate. A nursery was established to raise saplings and to replace those that failed to survive in the initial months, organisers said. Vijayvargiya described the occasion as emotional for residents who had taken part in the original drive and emphasised the need for continued local engagement.
From rocky slopes to expanding canopy — what changed
According to the account of organisers, the project converted a previously rocky landscape into a green tract through regular watering, protection measures and community oversight. The leaders involved framed the result as evidence that large-scale environmental initiatives can succeed when residents take responsibility for the planted trees after the event.
Vijayvargiya said Indore, known for its record of cleanliness, should now set its sights on becoming a green and eventually pollution-free city, and urged citizens to continue planting trees at personal milestones and as part of community activity.
- Over 12.41 lakh saplings planted in a single day at Revati Range in 2024.
- 13,10,012 trees certified by the Asia Book of World Records after two years.
- A nursery was maintained to replace failed saplings and support ongoing survival.
| Detail | Figure / Year |
|---|---|
| Single-day saplings planted (2024) | 12.41 lakh |
| Trees certified at Revati Range (2026) | 13,10,012 |
| Certification body | Asia Book of World Records |
Organisers linked the success to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ initiative, saying the Revati Range drive translated the national call for plantation into sustained local action. They also highlighted that the plantation drive was part of broader urban development efforts promoted by municipal and state leadership.
Implications for Indore’s environment and civic programmes
Local leaders framed the certification not only as a record but as a model for blending mass mobilisation with long-term care. The use of a nursery to replace failed saplings, regular monitoring and citizen involvement were all presented as replicable elements for other neighbourhoods and districts.
While the certification documents the present count at one site, city officials have previously set broader plantation goals for Indore. At the event, Vijayvargiya reiterated appeals to citizens to integrate planting and protection of trees into civic life. The organisers said the Revati Range project would feed into the city’s continuing greening strategies ahead of future civic and regional events.
No separate technical data on species mix, exact area under plantation or long-term survival projections were provided in the certification announcement. The Asia Book of World Records report was cited as having carried out a detailed enumeration at the site before issuing the certificate.
The Revati Range achievement adds to Indore’s reputation for high-profile civic initiatives and creates an example for rural-urban afforestation efforts that depend on community stewardship and follow-up care.
