Bengaluru’s battle against rising urban heat and deteriorating air quality has entered a new phase with the launch of the ‘Hasiru Bengaluru’ initiative, a strategic urban forestry drive aiming to plant 100 micro-forests across the city over the next 18 months.
The project, inaugurated by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, seeks to convert neglected, under-utilised public lands into dense pockets of native greenery.This initiative is being led by United Bengaluru for Land and Rejuvenation (UBLR) in collaboration with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), under a formal Memorandum of Understanding. It marks a shift in how city development authorities are reimagining green infrastructure—not as decorative landscaping, but as essential urban resilience tools.
BBMP will play a facilitating role, helping identify suitable sites, granting access to government-owned parks and land parcels, and ensuring logistical support. In a show of inter-agency cooperation, government nurseries will provide the saplings at no cost, reinforcing the city’s resolve to make nature a core part of its urban policy.As Bengaluru faces rising heat indices, poor air quality, and a steady decline in groundwater reserves, the Hasiru Bengaluru programme offers a nature-based solution to mitigate these challenges. Micro-forests, by design, allow high-density tree growth using native species to quickly restore ecological balance. These dense forest patches improve soil health, support rainwater percolation, reduce carbon levels, and serve as urban biodiversity reservoirs.
Strategic partners such as United Way Bengaluru, Bangalore Political Action Committee (BPAC), and Rainmatter Foundation are actively supporting the initiative, both in design and implementation. By involving citizens and civil society, the campaign seeks to build long-term public ownership of green commons—spaces that have historically been vulnerable to encroachment or neglect.Bengaluru’s growing concrete footprint has severely compromised its natural cooling systems, with tree cover declining and lakes turning into landfills or commercial projects. The Hasiru Bengaluru initiative directly addresses this imbalance by aiming to create natural habitat corridors in city zones that have turned into heat islands. These micro-forests are expected to not only cool down the surrounding areas but also act as living air filters and carbon sinks.
Moreover, the design of the project is inherently sustainable. Unlike conventional beautification drives that require high maintenance, micro-forests follow the Miyawaki method and similar high-density planting models that become self-sustaining within a few years. These pockets of wilderness are expected to attract birds, butterflies, and small mammals, strengthening local biodiversity and reconnecting urban residents with nature.While urban expansion remains inevitable, the city’s planners are now trying to thread ecology into the very fabric of development. Hasiru Bengaluru is a reminder that India’s high-growth cities can—and must—invest in ecological infrastructure that supports both human and environmental health.
If implemented effectively and protected over time, the initiative could become a national model for integrating green infrastructure into the DNA of fast-growing urban landscapes.
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