Nagpur: Nearly four months after its relocation, a 188-year-old banyan tree transplanted from Pachpaoli to the Gorewada Biodiversity Park in Nagpur is showing strong signs of life, with fresh foliage and rapid branch development indicating successful adaptation to its new environment.The massive tree standing 42 feet tall with a girth of 34 feet was shifted in November 2025 after a public interest litigation intervened to prevent its felling for a proposed Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) e-library project. The relocation, carried out over six days, culminated in the tree being replanted within 24 hours of uprooting.Court-appointed expert Dilip Chinchmalatpure, who has been overseeing the process, said the tree’s revival highlights the importance of meticulous planning and sustained post-transplant care. “Most transplanted trees fail due to inadequate aftercare. Here, continuous monitoring and scientific handling made the difference,” he said.The Nagpur bench of the Bombay high court had mandated strict supervision of the transplantation, requiring regular progress reports. Chinchmalatpure has been submitting updates and will continue to monitor the tree for the next seven years. He added that many transplanted trees don’t survive because they do not receive the care and scientific treatment post the transplanting. “Aftercare is the most crucial stage,” he said.“Banyan trees typically have root systems extending nearly twice their height, making extraction delicate. Workers had dug trenches around the tree, carefully preserving the root ball, which was wrapped in gunny bags, burlap, and nets along with its original soil. Heavy machinery, including cranes and hydraulic lifters, was used to transport the tree nearly 9km to Gorewada,” he said.Chinchmalatpure added that post-replantation, a specialised soil mix, made using black soil, cow dung, neem cake, and micro-nutrients was prepared to support regrowth. “Root hormones aided anchoring, while fungicides were applied to protect pruning wounds. Encouragingly, the tree has developed nearly 100 new branches. We are now planning selective pruning, or debranching, to reduce these to around 10, ensuring structural stability and balanced growth,” the environmentalist added.Despite being transplanted outside the ideal monsoon or winter window, the tree has shown resilience even in temperatures touching 40°C. Officials say the success could serve as a benchmark for future urban tree relocation projects, demonstrating that with right expertise and care, even centuries-old trees can be preserved amid development pressures.
