Beautification row: Need to select right kind of plants based on the particular space, says horticulture expert

With BMC revamping road dividers, mid-day speaks to a horticulture expert to find out which plants would be best suited for median strips

A number of saplings and plants which were growing in the old median strips were damaged and killed as they had to be uprooted for the new tall dividers. As the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation plans to plant new saplings on the new median strips, mid-day speaks to horticulture expert Vaibhav Raje about what kind of plants are most suited, especially given their exposure to smoke, dust as well as bad air quality.

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Edited excerpts from the interview:

Several saplings on median dividers are found ruined, damaged, and dead. What should be done to protect them?
The science of urban planting is still underrated in India and we have a lot to learn in order to be at par with the international management practices. Prior to planting, it must be ensured that there is adequate infrastructure and budget available for future maintenance, these include availability of water, workers, tools, plant nutrition etc. 

The quality and type of planting material also matters a lot. This is actually a major contributing factor towards the success of urban plantation. Usually, juvenile and delicate saplings are planted to save money hoping that it would establish and thrive on its own. Such tender saplings are brought overnight from conducive nursery environments outside city areas and are straightway exposed to harsh conditions of urban stress, which puts them in a state of shock. Hence, wherever possible, installing smart irrigation systems and using appropriate soil additives may be considered for improving the overall water efficiency and longevity of the plants.

Also read: Mumbai: SoBo gets tiled dividers, but what about gaps, ask locals

Protection from vandalism must also be considered, but it has its own challenges and would need major overhaul in the local infrastructure. And, the most important thing is that qualified and experienced technical experts from various fields like horticulture, arboriculture and landscape are consulted right from the planning stage for any large scale plantation.

Which plants are planted or can be planted on median dividers that would survive, given their continuous exposure to smoke, dust, and the city’s bad air quality?
This is an important aspect to consider as the high median dividers all over the city will have saplings. Extensive research is being done in various universities in India regarding air pollution tolerance index of plants and trees. Such research-based species recommendations may prove to be useful. 

One should avoid planting any large trees on medians as the existing infrastructure would not support it. Also it may cause safety issues in the future, such as falling branches or obstructing view of the traffic. Several shrub species like Bougainvillea, Malpighia, Clerodendrum inerme, Tecoma, Pisonia, Ixora, Euphorbias, etc may be considered for median plantation, depending on the local site, climatic conditions and the objective of planting. However, their suitability in terms of air pollution is something that has to be studied further by academic experts and scientists.

What kind of maintenance do these plants need? How does the BMC carry out the maintenance work?
The maintenance needs of plants depend on the skillful selection of the right plant species and planting them at the right place. Maintenance costs, including any mortality replacement costs, go up if there is a lack of proper technical due diligence during the planning and execution stage. For example, planting a sun-loving species in a shaded area or vice-versa will only increase maintenance costs in terms of labour, water, plant nutrition and replacement.

I am not aware of BMC’s existing mechanism to maintain such plantations, but it goes without saying that there is a lot of scope for improvement. As per my observations, a lot of median plantations are being developed and maintained by private companies who are, in turn, allowed to display their logos at regular intervals along the median. I think a similar modus should be considered for large avenue trees as well.

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