Varanasi plants 2.51 lakh saplings in one hour, sets Guinness world record

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

• Varanasi sets Guinness record with 2.51 lakh saplings planted in 1 hour
• Over 20,000 citizens joined the record-setting plantation drive
• "Namo Van" urban forest aims to boost biodiversity and ecology

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In a record-setting environmental drive, the Varanasi Municipal Corporation planted more than 2.5 lakh saplings in under an hour, earning official recognition from Guinness World Records.

The plantation took place in Domari, near the Ganga ghats in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency of Varanasi. According to officials, over 20,000 citizens participated in the mega drive, which civic authorities described as a landmark example of public participation.

On March 1, 2025, a total of 2.51 lakh saplings were planted within one hour using the Miyawaki method, surpassing China’s previous record of 1.53 lakh saplings planted in the same time frame.

The effort forms part of a larger urban forest project named “Namo Van,” being developed across nearly 350 bighas of land. Under the initiative, around 3 lakh saplings are being planted, including 2.5 lakh Miyawaki-method saplings, 10,000 timber trees and 40,000 fruit-bearing trees.

Officials said the urban forest project will also feature a 4-kilometre walking pathway, a meditation and yoga plaza, a 4-hectare flower park, a 2-hectare herbal park, a children’s play zone and an open gym plaza. There are also plans to establish a naturopathy plaza in the future.

The civic body said the project aims to enhance biodiversity, strengthen the Ganga riverbank and improve the ecological balance of the area. From the third year onwards, the Municipal Corporation expects to generate annual revenue of around Rs 2 crore from the project, which could rise to Rs 7 crore by the seventh year.

Authorities said the initiative not only sets a global benchmark in urban afforestation but also reinforces Varanasi’s push toward sustainable development.