Here is a list of the greenest cities in India, that have preserved their nature mutually alongside the urban landscapes in India. The word “greenest cities” can also be interpreted as the most sustainable cities – they are curbing pollution as much as possible by using renewable energy resources. Unchecked urbanism has led to our cities forming a concrete jungle, which has consequently resulted in rampant pollution. We see traffic and mighty buildings everywhere. For the town folks, the traffic-filled environment isn’t a brand-new thing. However, some places have balanced the urbanization and tried to protect the green pastures. Lets check out the list of green cities here:

1. Mysore | Greenest Cities in India

Mysore is India’s 1st and most greenest city in India, even though it is the third highest populated city in Karnataka. Swachh Bharat Urban felicitated and classified Mysore as the greenest city of India. Mysore is the 2nd largest city (by area) in Karnataka and due to its cultural heritage and strategic location, it is one of the best-planned cities.

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Mysore ©www.smedia2.intoday.in

2. Chandigarh

Chandigarh is one of the first planned cities of India. The urban infrastructure, in conjunction with the protected greenery, makes it one of the top greenest cities in India. Chandigarh is located near the foothills of the Shivalik range of the Himalayas and is the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana; it has a forest and tree cover of 35.5 percent in its 114-sq km area, according to the Forest Department of India.

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Chandigarh ©www.chandigarhmetro.com

3. Bangalore | Greenest City in India

Bangalore or Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka, and is also known as “The Garden City”. This fast-growing city has a pleasant climate, scenic gardens, parks, and natural lakes.  As of date, the city has around 333 green buildings and a total of 227.92 million sqm of green space that is certified by the IGBC -a wing of the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII). It is the Silicon Valley of India, because of its position as the significant leading IT hub in the country.

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Bangalore ©img1.rapidleaks.com
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Bangalore ©images.livemint.com

4. New Delhi

Despite being one of the most polluted (poor air quality) cities of the world, it is also one of India’s greenest cities with 7% of its geographical area under tree cover. The lush green of Lutyens’s Delhi comprises a mix of Amaltas, Gulmohar, Jacaranda, Milletia, Jamun, Amla, Aam, Bahera, and many more. Planting of trees, improvement in infrastructure, and implementation of strict laws have helped the capital city stay clean and green. The clean energy revolution through CNG; an aggressive plantation drive that boasts a green cover span on over 20% of the city; entire Public Transport running on CNG; and more than 20,000 parks, bear witness to the fact that Delhi has addressed environmental challenges to earn its ‘Green’ stature.

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New Delhi ©images.livemint.com
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New Delhi ©www.hindustantimes.com

5. Dehradun

Dehradun is also one of the cleanest cities in India and rates high on the “greenery scale”. Besides being located in the Himalayas, this city is also famous for its verdure mountains and waterfalls. It is one of the highest rain-receiving cities, in northern India and residence of prestigious institutions, for example, the Indian Military Academy. The beautiful valley is additionally a famous educational hub.

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Dehradun ©www.thestatesman.com

6. Bhopal | Greenest Cities in India

In 1984, a massive chemical leak from a pesticide factory left Bhopal’s soil and water toxic and killed nearly 4,000 people. The damage scarred the city’s memory. Bhopal is now one of the greenest cities of India and has been largely successful in its attempt to re-establish its image. It is not just a prominent urban center; Bhopal has preserved its forest heritage and has also developed itself as a commercial center. The results are due to a mix of environmental awareness, implementation of laws, and the dedication of the citizens of Bhopal to improving the city.

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Bhopal ©www.st1.photogallery.ind.sh

7. Diu

The Diu Smart City has become the first city in India that runs on 100 percent renewable energy during the daytime, setting a benchmark for other cities to follow. The city has developed a 9-MW solar park covering over 50 hectares of rocky barren land, besides installing solar panels on the rooftops on 79 government buildings which generate 1.3 MW annually, as per the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

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Diu ©www.i1.wp.com

8. Gandhinagar

The capital of Gujarat, Gandhinagar has claimed to be one of the best-planned cities in India. This state capital is on the banks of the Sabarmati river. While increasing urban development, Gandhinagar has protected the greenery. With about 32 lakh trees with just a population of 1.5 lakh, Gujarat’s capital city has about 22 trees per person.

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Gandhinagar ©www.bsmedia.business-standard.com

9. Jamshedpur | Greenest City in India

Despite being majorly industrialized, Jamshedpur has managed to be the 15th cleanest city in India. The city falls under deciduous forest covers, which makes 33% of its total land “green cover”. Tata Steel’s commitment to “cleaner and greener Jamshedpur” is visible through incessant tree plantation drives, which enhances the green carpet continuously. The city has numerous parks, playgrounds, and tree-lined streets. The most well-known testament to Jamshedji’s vision of a green city is, of course, the Jubilee Park, spread over an area of 37.75 acres and dotted with flowerbeds and illuminated fountains.

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Jamshedpur ©www.tourism.gov.in

10. Shimla

Shimla is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh and is probably the most popular hill station in Northern India. Set amidst beautiful hills and mystical woods, Shimla is one of the aesthetically planned cities of India. The colonial architecture, churches, temples, and natural beauty of the city will leave you spellbound. Shimla is home to trees such as pine, deodar, oak, and rhododendron. Ridge, an open-wide street with an exclusive panoramic view of the mountains, makes it one of the favorite tourist spots. Because of its rich flora and fauna, Shimla is also known as the ‘Queen of Hills”. Shimla has become a part of “Green Growth Cities” as the municipal corporation launched the ambitious project to identify and develop applications and solutions to support the concept of green growth through the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

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Shimla ©www.gksimaginary.wordpress.com

 

References-

Point 1- india.com/photos/travel/top-9-greenest-cities-of-india-131711/mysore-131721/

Point 2- hindustantimes.com/india/chandigarh-is-india-s-greenest-city/story-cHiKyTJ67p9VMhn27fNSFL.html

Point 3- walkthroughindia.com/lifestyle/top-10-green-cities-of-india/, timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/Bengaluru-is-the-third-most-green-city-in-India-Report/articleshow/51609265.cms

Point 4- thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/delhi-one-of-the-countrys-most-polluted-cities-is-also-among-its-greenest/article24298773.ece,  businesswireindia.com/delhi-has-emerged-as-one-of-the-greenest-capital-cities-in-the-world-37489.html

Point 5- india.com/photos/travel/top-9-greenest-cities-of-india-131711/dehradun-131717/

Point 6- govinsider.asia/smart-gov/bhopal-smart-city-green-chandramauli-shukla/

Point 7- energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/renewable/diu-smart-city-first-in-india-to-run-on-100-pc-renewable-energy-during-daytime-official/63889099

Point 8- charrcha.com/detail/gandhinagar-the-greenest-capital-city-in-whole-asia

Point 9- jamshedpurlive.net/discover-jamshedpur/factfile/a-model-township.aspx

Point 10- travel.siliconindia.com/travel-article/Shimla-The-Green-Growth-City-aid-4356.html

Author

Anchal Tibrewal is a young architect and a nature enthusiast. Her work has led her to believe in the minute details that make all instances of architecture a reality. She is driven towards a sustainable design that has a strong relationship with the contexts it represents.