Central Railway plants 2.73 lakh saplings in two months

The Central Railway has planted 2.73 lakh saplings in its various divisions in the last two months as a part of its effort to increase the green cover, an official said.

The sapling plantation drive was launched on June 5, the World Environment Day.

More than 2.73 lakh saplings were planted till July-end in the rail divisions of Solapur, Bhusawal, Nagpur, Pune and Mumbai, Chief Railway's chief PRO Sunil Udasi said yesterday.

"These plants will be maintained by the Maharashtra forest department for the next three years," Udasi said.

In a bid to protect and improve the environment, the Central Railway signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the state forest department last year to plant trees on land available on the sides of railway tracks.

These trees will not only add to the green cover but also help in reducing the air pollution and improve the ecological cycle, Udasi said.

The campaign will continue till the end of this monsoon season to achieve the target of planting 7.25 lakh saplings in 2018-19, he added.