Need a surgery for neighbourhood giant? KMC’s tree ambulance is just a call away
Times of India | 6 December 2025
Kolkata: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, a tree ambulance service was launched by Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC). The mobile emergency services for the city's ailing trees will provide diagnosis, treatment, relocation, planting, and spread public awareness.
One can dial the toll-free helpline number 18001236219 for free tree maintenance-related services in their locality. "This is a pilot project. If the initiative turns successful, we can think of more such tree ambulances," said Debasish Kumar, MMIC, Parks and Gardens and MLA, Rashbehari constituency. The project cost of around Rs 12.5 lakh was provided from his MLA development fund.
"The ambulance is mainly designed as an emergency call responder for uprooted, highly tilted, or storm-hit trees. It will also provide on-site stabilization, pruning, or safe relocation of the affected tree where possible," said Sanjay Jaisingh, founder of Mithri Mitti, a city-based environmental conservation organisation. Jaisingh, also a tree transplantation expert, will maintain and operate the ambulance from now on and will be stationed near Entally Police Station. Primary school students of National High School were present during the inauguration of the tree ambulance. "This type of environmental initiative will help in reducing the mortality rate of the trees," said Anupama Ajitsaria, principal of the school, who thinks the green initiative will also help restore old and ailing heritage trees. The electric mini truck vehicle with an improvised structural design contains tools and equipment like a tree pruning chainsaw, earth auger, brush cutter, water sprinkler, small and heavy-duty pumps, telescopic ladder, portable generator, helmets, rope, GI cable, garden hose pipe, carpentry, and essential garden tools. An overhead water carrier of 200 litres along with a small tank containing 50 litres of water has been fitted beneath the vehicle.
The vehicle is 7.5m long and 8.5m wide. It took about three months for coach building at a Sonarpur workshop under the guidance of KMC's mechanical department. "We designed it in such a way so that the vehicle can negotiate narrow pathways inside the gardens too," said a KMC engineer involved in the project.
"Diagnosis and treatment of pests, particularly rat-infected trees, fungal infections, nutrient deficiencies, and surgery of hollow trunks will also be taken care of," added Jaisingh.
Maintenance support such as pruning of dead branches, removing nails and wires, improving soil quality around tree bases, as well as awareness-related activities, will also be on the list.