The redevelopment of Delhi’s Sarojini Nagar General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA) Colony has crossed a key regulatory milestone after the Delhi Government’s Department of Forests and Wildlife approved the felling or transplantation of 1,091 trees, clearing the way for construction to proceed in the remaining undeveloped parts of the project.

The approval follows months of site inspections and a multi-stage review aimed at minimising the environmental impact of one of the Capital’s biggest government housing redevelopment projects, according to a report by The Tribune.

Officials said the final number of affected trees was significantly reduced before permission was granted.

According to officials, the process began with an assessment identifying 1,218 trees. A detailed site inspection by the tree officer revised the list, reducing the number to 1,170 and saving 48 trees.

The proposal was then examined by the Union Central Empowered Committee (CEC), which, through its order dated May 11, 2026, directed that another 79 trees be retained. This brought the final figure to 1,091 trees that will either be felled or transplanted. Sources said the final approval was issued on June 19.

Officials associated with the clearance process said the exercise involved extensive field verification before any decision was taken.

The clearance paves the way for the next phase of the Sarojini Nagar redevelopment, which forms part of the Union Government’s larger plan, approved by the Union Cabinet in July 2016, to redevelop seven ageing GPRA colonies across Delhi.

Under the programme, Sarojini Nagar, Netaji Nagar and Nauroji Nagar were assigned to NBCC (India) Limited for redevelopment, while Kasturba Nagar, Thyagraj Nagar, Srinivaspuri and Mohammadpur are being redeveloped by the Central Public Works Department. The plan seeks to replace nearly 12,970 ageing Type I to IV government quarters with more than 21,000 modern residential units, alongside new office space, through a self-financing model supported by commercial development.

Sarojini Nagar is among the largest components of the programme, with plans for high-rise residential towers as well as the proposed Bharat Business Park commercial hub.

The GPRA colonies, originally built in 1940s to accommodate Central Government employees, have been identified for redevelopment to address the long-standing shortage of government housing in the National Capital Region by making more efficient use of the available land.

The overall redevelopment has progressed in phases over the past decade. Newly-built residential units in Sarojini Nagar and Kasturba Nagar were inaugurated earlier this year as part of a larger batch of around 2,700 completed homes, while approximately 6,600 more units are planned across the colonies being redeveloped by the NBCC and the CPWD.

The seven-colony redevelopment programme, estimated at around Rs 32,000 crore, is targeted for substantial completion by 2028. The latest forest clearance removes one of the remaining regulatory requirements for construction in the pending sections of the Sarojini Nagar project.