Gurgaon: To offset tree felling for the construction of the Millennium City Centre–Cyber City metro corridor, Gurugram Metro Rail Limited (GMRL) launched an afforestation drive near Manesar on Thursday. Under this initiative, around 18,000 saplings will be planted near the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway (KMP).Haryana Forest Development Corporation Limited (HFDC) will manage the plantation work as well as the long-term upkeep, in coordination with the Haryana forest department. A metro official said the plantation was part of the mandatory environmental conditions tied to metro corridor development. Native and climate-resilient species were selected to improve survival rates, with scientific methods to be adopted for planting and monitoring.The drive was carried out on Thursday in the presence of senior officials from GMRL and the forest department, along with representatives of contracting agencies and the general consultant. The 28.5km corridor, being built by GMRL, will have 27 stations and a spur to Dwarka Expressway, aimed at strengthening the city’s mass transit network, officials said.
