Geo-tagging of trees complete

LAHORE: Nespak has completed the geo-tagging of trees across a 22.5-kilometer stretch of Lahore Canal - the first large-scale digital mapping of urban green cover ever undertaken in the country.

The purpose is to make a data of each tree, its pic and make sure these trees are saved during construction of Yellow Line Electric Transit Project, which is planned for Lahore’s Canal Road, aiming to provide affordable and eco-friendly transportation. The project, spanning 24 kilometers from Thokar Niaz Beg to Harbanspura, is expected to be operational by June 2026 and serve around 130,000 passengers daily.

Nespak Managing Director Zargham Eshaq Khan Thursday stated that the effort is a part of the upcoming Yellow Line Electric Transit Project being launched by Punjab government. The initiative involved the precise identification of each tree using

GPS-enabled surveying equipment, with coordinates and tree-specific metadata integrated into a centralised GIS database. This structured dataset enables spatial analysis, supports condition monitoring, and provides a critical decision-making tool for authorities, urban foresters, and environmental planners.

Strategically located, the Lahore Canal green belt functions as one of provincial capital’s primary ecological corridors - mitigating air pollution, regulating microclimate, and enhancing urban biodiversity. Nespak’s intervention equipped this corridor with a robust digital inventory, facilitating data-backed management without disrupting the integrity of the ecosystem.

More than a technological deliverable, this initiative reflected Nespak’s expanding role in climate-conscious infrastructure development. The ability to digitise tree health baselines, plan plantations using geospatial intelligence, and identify encroachments or illegal removals sets a modern precedent for managing urban green assets with accountability.