Kotak Mahindra Bank’s Green Push in Indian Cities

National: Kotak Mahindra Bank celebrates a milestone of crossing three lakh saplings planted in urban pockets, creating mini forests in seven cities.

Afforestation was on barren land of nearly 30+ acres, which are now restored into micro habitats for biodiversity to flourish. Apart from long-term impact on biodiversity, change in microclimatic conditions, carbon sequestration potential, such green spaces also act as recreational spaces for the local community to connect with nature that stays protected against risks of encroachment and waste dumping.

Urban afforestation is a part of the Bank’s Ecosystem Restoration initiatives under the theme ‘Environment & Sustainable Development’, spanning across projects that replenish water, reduce carbon and benefit communities in rural and urban landscapes.

Afforestation Summary

Implementing Partners

• Green Yatra Trust

• Environmentalist Foundation of India

• Centre for Environmental Research & Education

Sites and Work Done

Phursungi, Pune

The Phursungi Dumping Ground in Pune, once a site of heavy contamination and environmental degradation, has undergone a remarkable transformation through the Miyawaki afforestation method. Known for its dense, fast-growing forest technique using native species, this method was employed to bring ecological life back to a severely polluted site. Forty-two thousand saplings belonging to 45 local native species were planted, carefully selected to thrive in the regional climate and contribute to biodiversity restoration. Dumping grounds like Phursungi often contain hazardous materials, including plastics, chemicals, and heavy metals, which degrade soil quality and pose serious challenges for vegetation. Before the plantation, extensive soil remediation efforts were undertaken to neutralise these toxins and restore basic fertility. Organic matter was added to improve the soil’s structure and nutrient content, making it suitable for sapling survival and growth.

Despite the challenges, the project has successfully turned a lifeless dumping ground into a thriving pocket of green, setting a benchmark for ecological restoration in urban and peri-urban landscapes. Today, this site stands as a testimony to nature’s resilience and the power of thoughtful intervention, offering cleaner air, improved soil quality, and a boost in local biodiversity, all while inspiring sustainable land restoration practices.

Nagla Bunder, Thane

The Nagala Bunder Waterfront in Gaimukh, Thane, has undergone a remarkable green transformation through the Miyawaki afforestation method. Located along the coastal edge, this site—once bare and underutilised — has now become home to a thriving micro forest of 5,500 native saplings, comprising 45 local species. The plantation not only enhances the ecological resilience of the area but also contributes to shoreline stabilisation, air purification, and biodiversity enrichment. Waterfronts often face unique ecological stress due to erosion, habitat loss, and human encroachment. By using the Miyawaki method, which emphasises dense, fast-growing plantations of indigenous species, the project successfully restored the area into a self-sustaining green zone. The selection of native species ensures better adaptability, low maintenance, and long-term ecological balance.

This initiative has transformed the Nagala Bunder stretch into a living green buffer that supports local flora and fauna, improves the microclimate, and offers an aesthetically pleasing natural space for the local community. It stands as a testament to how even small interventions, when done right, can leave a lasting environmental impact.

Waghbill, Thane

In January 2024, the Waghbill site at Reti Bunder, located right in front of the beautiful Vasai Creek in Thane, underwent a remarkable transformation through the Miyawaki afforestation method. What was once an open and underutilised stretch near the waterfront is now home to a thriving native forest of 7,000 saplings, representing 46 local species. This green intervention has not only revitalised the land but also enhanced the ecological richness of the sensitive creekside zone.

Given its location beside Vasai Creek, the area plays an important role in supporting wetland biodiversity and keeping the local climate balanced. Using the Miyawaki method—a technique known for its dense, multilayered plantations of native trees—the project has successfully created a fast-growing urban forest that helps reduce pollution, improves soil quality, and provides a safe space for birds, insects, and other wildlife.

Today, the Waghbill Miyawaki forest stands as a great example of how we can turn unused urban land into green, living spaces. It adds beauty to the area, supports nature, and gives people a peaceful place to connect with the environment, showing that with the right effort, even a small piece of land can make a big difference.

Narol, Ahmedabad

Oxygen Park in Narol, Ahmedabad, is currently being developed as a vibrant hub for biodiversity and nature-based learning through a unique initiative called the Nature Interaction Centre. With over 80,000 saplings of 50 local native species being planted, the park is taking shape as an immersive green space that reconnects people with nature while restoring the region’s ecological richness.

The ongoing development includes a wide range of thematic zones such as Sacred Groves, a Native Flowering and Fragrance Cluster, a Butterfly and Pollinator Garden, a Bamboo Arboretum, and a Rare and Endangered Tree Species Bank. The site also features educational and experiential areas like the Sanskrit, Vedic and Cultural Van, State Tree Gallery, Medicinal Tree Cluster, Sensory Garden, Xerophytic Garden, Local Forest Species Bank, and Native Grassland.

This space is set to become a green lung for Ahmedabad and a living classroom that will promote sustainability, well-being, and environmental awareness. With every intervention being rooted in local biodiversity, Oxygen Park is steadily transforming into a place where nature thrives and people engage with it meaningfully.

Kharghar, Navi Mumbai

A unique green transformation is currently taking shape at Kharghar Railway Station, where an urban Miyawaki forest is being developed right alongside one of the busiest transit hubs in Navi Mumbai. With 12,000 saplings from 47 local native species, this plantation aims to create a dense green buffer that not only adds ecological value but also enhances the commuter experience.

Railway stations are often surrounded by unused or degraded land, exposed to pollution and lacking green cover. This project turns such a space into a breathing green zone, reducing dust, noise, and carbon emissions while creating habitat pockets for urban biodiversity.

As trains arrive and depart, this living forest is steadily growing, offering a refreshing splash of greenery to thousands of daily passengers. The Kharghar Railway Station Miyawaki Forest stands as a symbol of how infrastructure and ecology can coexist, turning transit spaces into thriving green corridors.

Panchgaon, Haryana

At Pachgaon, Haryana, a unique ecological transformation is underway right at the junction of some of the busiest expressways in the region — the Delhi–Jaipur Expressway, Delhi–Mumbai Expressway, and Western Peripheral Expressway. In the heart of these looping concrete interchanges, a dense Miyawaki forest is being planted, turning unused land into a thriving green space.

With over 1,56,000 saplings of native species being planted using the Miyawaki afforestation method, this project is designed to create a fast-growing, self-sustaining urban forest. The plantation not only maximises ecological value in a highly trafficked area but also serves as a green buffer against pollution and noise generated by the surrounding expressways.

This project reflects an innovative use of interstitial land, proving that even road infrastructure can coexist with ecological restoration. As the saplings grow, the loops of the expressway will soon be embraced by vibrant greenery, contributing to biodiversity, improving air quality, and offering a living symbol of sustainable infrastructure planning.

Indore

This afforestation project was first started in collaboration with Indore Municipal Corporation in 2020, when a degraded land parcel in Vijay Nagar, Zone-7, was given to develop an urban forest.

With good results, another five such land parcels were identified in 2022, and administrative approvals were given in May 2022. Approximately 6.5 acres of the area combined was then developed into dense urban forests spread across Indore city, planting around 12,000 trees, which were named Ahilya Vans.

Mumbai

14,000 saplings were planted with the Miyawaki technique in pockets of Colaba Woods, Cama Hospital, Bindu Madhav Thackerey Udyan (Govandi).

Apart from the above dedicated initiatives of afforestation, plantation is incorporated in all ecological restoration projects involving water resource management, water-body restoration, etc., at a certain scale.