Every summer, parts of Bengaluru turn pink.

The blossoms of Tabebuia rosea spill over roads and footpaths, softening traffic-heavy stretches and drawing people to pause beneath them. Office workers slow down. Residents look up. The city feels momentarily lighter.

That colour carries a story that began in the early 1980s, at a time when Bengaluru was growing faster than it had before. The population was rising. Roads were widened to keep pace with the city’s expansion. In that process, trees were cut. The transformation felt necessary, yet the loss was visible. A city once known for breathing through its tree-lined avenues was adjusting to concrete and asphalt.

Authorities responded by planting........

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