New Delhi [India], August 6 : Following specific directions from the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, to ensure that the saplings planted during plantation drives survive and grow, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on Thursday launched a first-of-its-kind Digital Plantation Monitoring System for its ongoing Mega Plantation Drive 2026-27.
According to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), "for the first time, a plantation programme of this scale will be monitored through a dedicated mobile application integrated with a Plantation Monitoring Dashboard. The system enables digital recording and geo-tagging of plantation activities, creating a centralised record of works undertaken across Delhi to strengthen transparency and accountability."
A key feature of the programme is its emphasis on survival and sustained growth, rather than merely achieving numerical targets. Field-level responsibility has been clearly assigned for watering, maintenance, protection, and monitoring. Plant mortality will be recorded through the system and replacement plantation will be undertaken wherever required.
To ensure transparency, it has been decided to engage an independent third-party agency for verification and assessment of plantation survival. The findings will provide an objective evaluation and help identify areas requiring additional maintenance or corrective measures.
The monitoring system comprises a dedicated mobile application for field officers, particularly Section Officers (Horticulture), and a central dashboard. Field officers upload site-specific details and photographs directly from the ground. This information synchronises with the central platform to enable continuous monitoring across divisions, helping identify delays, maintenance gaps, and casualties for timely action.
"With more than 50 per cent of the plantation target already achieved, the Plantation Monitoring Dashboard, accessible through DDA's official website, enables people and stakeholders to track progress of the drive. The portal displays park-wise details of saplings planted, along with species details, latitude and longitude coordinates, and other updates from the field. It also showcases photographs from the joint drives undertaken where 13,750 people participated from 118 Resident Welfare Associations, 18 religious organisations, 31 other government/para-military/police/NGOs, 24 schools, and 11 institutes, encouraging shared ownership of Delhi's green assets," said DDA.
By integrating technology, field accountability, public disclosure, community participation, and independent assessment, DDA is making its greening drive trackable, measurable, and outcome-oriented. The initiative will contribute to enhancing Delhi's green cover, improving air quality, reducing urban heat, strengthening biodiversity, and building climate resilience.
Following directives from the Lieutenant Governor, DDA is undertaking large-scale ecological restoration using indigenous tree and shrub species. The programme forms part of the 70 Lakh Plantation Mission launched by the Union Home and Cooperation Minister, Amit Shah, under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign on 7 July 2026, under which DDA has been entrusted with planting 23 lakh indigenous saplings across the National Capital.