Torrent Group to Maintain 69 Lakes in Gujarat

Ahmedabad, Sep 23 (PTI) Torrent Group's philanthropic arm, UNM Foundation, has signed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with six civic bodies for the maintenance of 69 lakes across Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar districts, covering over 2 million square metres.

The MoUs were exchanged on Tuesday at the Startup Conclave 2025 in Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The agreements mark a major expansion of UNM Foundation's flagship environmental initiative, PRATITI.

The civic bodies include Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC), Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar Jilla Panchayats, and the Kalol and Mansa Nagar Palikas.

Torrent Group Director Jinal Mehta signed the MoUs with Ahmedabad Mayor Pratibhaben Jain, the conglomerate said in a statement.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and several state ministers were also present at the event.

UNM Foundation vice-chairperson Sapna Mehta called the initiative a "significant milestone” in the Foundation's efforts towards large-scale ecological restoration. "It reaffirms our enduring commitment to restoring, maintaining, and celebrating the natural assets that sustain our communities."

"At UNM Foundation, we believe that restoring and maintaining our green and blue spaces is a civic responsibility," she added.

The MoUs aim to restore and sustain key urban water bodies, improve biodiversity, and enhance community engagement in environmental stewardship.

With this new commitment, UNM Foundation will now be involved in the upkeep of a total of 28.44 million square metres of public parks and lakes across Gujarat. Under the PRATITI initiative, the foundation has already developed and maintained over 5 lakh square metres of green spaces, including 13 public gardens and 2 lakes, drawing around 6 million annual visitors.

Expansion of the PRATITI initiative to other states, including Maharashtra, is currently under consideration.