LUCKNOW, March 11 -- The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) has replaced the palm saplings planted along the Green Corridor stretch after several of them dried up, just days before the corridor's inauguration scheduled on March 13. Officials confirmed that horticulture teams removed the earlier planted palm saplings from the central dividers and replaced them with Ashok Pendula saplings along the stretch connecting Samta Mulak Crossing to Hanuman Setu. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath will likely attend the inauguration ceremony on March 13. They are also likely inspect the corridor stretch from Samta Mulak intersection to Daliganj bridge. The action comes days after the Hindustan Times reported on March 7 that several saplings planted along the Green Corridor stretch had dried up due to poor maintenance. Senior horticulture officials said they acted on instructions from senior LDA authorities to immediately replace the plants on the dividers before the inauguration. The replacement drive covered a stretch of around 2.4 kilometres from Nishatganj to Hanuman Setu. LDA assistant engineer (horticulture) Imran said workers have planted Ashok Pendula saplings at intervals of around two metres along the dividers of the corridor. He added that the earlier palm saplings were not discarded but relocated to another location in the city. "Nearly 300 palm saplings planted earlier along the corridor have been shifted to a green belt in the Basant Kunj area near Rashtra Prerna Sthal, where they are expected to survive better," Imran said. He further said that the forest department provided the Ashok Pendula saplings used for the replacement. Officials also carried out additional plantation work at key rotaries and intersections along the corridor to enhance the stretch before the inauguration. According to officials, plants such as bougainvillea and other ornamental species have been planted at roundabouts and intersections as part of the beautification drive....