Bengaluru Tree Census Delayed Over Unfinished Work in South and Mahadevapura

The ongoing tree census in Bengaluru has faced significant delays, stretching over two years, with the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) now pushing the completion deadline to the end of December this year. The delay is primarily driven by unfinished enumeration in the Bengaluru South and Mahadevapura zones, where the field work is only about 60 percent complete.

So far, the GBA has enumerated 8,17,424 trees across the city. However, the final outcomes of the census are now expected only next year. According to GBA officials, the agency conducting the census has requested an additional five months to complete the survey in the lagging zones.

Sudarshan GK, Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) for the GBA, stated that the census is almost complete in the remaining six zones of the city. These zones include Yelahanka, Dasarahalli, RR Nagar, Bommanahalli, Bengaluru West, and Bengaluru East. Once the field enumeration is finished, the GBA must verify the data by overlaying it with satellite imagery to ensure accuracy.

The census is limited to avenue trees and those located on GBA land. It excludes trees within major institutional campuses, such as the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), the University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, and the Air Force Station.

The delay has drawn criticism from local environmentalists and tree activists, who argue that the census is the essential foundation for any urban greening strategy and future environmental planning. The Karnataka High Court had originally directed that a tree census be conducted in October 2019. However, the tender was only floated in October 2023, and the physical exercise finally began in February 2024.

Since its launch, the project has missed multiple deadlines, which were successively pushed from August 2024 to November 2024, March 2025, December 2025, and March 2026.

Vijay Nishant, founder of Project Vruksha and former member of Bengaluru’s Biodiversity Management Committee, noted that several DCFs have taken charge and moved on while the project remains incomplete. He emphasized that reliable data on tree cover is crucial for the Karnataka government’s Brand Bengaluru initiative, which envisions transforming the city into a sustainable space.