A scientific assessment by the Departments of Botany and Microbiology at Acharya Nagarjuna University has found that 29 of the 73 affected trees can be safely transplanted, while the remaining 44 are unsuitable for relocation, as the Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC) undertakes road widening works from Hanumayya Company to Brindavan Gardens Centre. The study was conducted to determine the feasibility of preserving mature avenue trees that need to be removed or shifted for the project.

Municipal Commissioner K. Mayur Ashok said the civic body was committed to protecting the city’s green cover by relocating as many healthy trees as possible through scientifically approved methods. He said the university’s assessment would guide every stage of the exercise.

According to the inspection report, the 44 trees identified for removal were severely damaged by termite and wood-boring insect infestations, which had weakened their structural stability. The experts said the trees were a safety hazard during heavy winds and adverse weather, and that some had already collapsed.

The study concluded that transplanting the damaged trees would not be botanically viable because of their poor chances of survival. The remaining 29 trees were found to have healthy root systems, strong trunks and good biological viability, making them suitable for transplantation under expert supervision.

The Commissioner said the GMC had already planted more than 7,000 saplings across the city and geo-tagged them for monitoring. Based on the university’s recommendations, the civic body will remove unsafe trees in accordance with regulations, and relocate healthy ones to suitable sites within the municipal limits.