Greening India’s National Highways

In the 2024-25 period, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has planted around 6.7 million (67 lacs) trees as against the target of 6 million plantations, underscoring a great milestone of greening India’s national highways.

India has the second-largest road network, and its National Highways span a total length of 146,195 km, forming the primary arterial network of the country.

The development of national highways in India falls under the NHAI, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Over the years, NHAI has undertaken several initiatives to enhance and strengthen the national highways network through flagship programmes such as the Bharatmala Pariyojana.

The national highway network has risen by 60% over the last 10 years, from 91,287 km in 2014 to 146,195 km by the end of 2024. The growth story of highway development has no signs of abating, as there are several large projects underway and new ones planned.

However, even when the development of highways is essential for economic growth and connectivity, it has significant environmental consequences.

It often leads to deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and the displacement of wildlife, disrupting natural ecosystems. Construction activities and increased vehicular traffic contribute to air and noise pollution, soil erosion, and water contamination from runoff.

To mitigate some of the impacts, it can be achieved with sustainable planning, such as incorporating green corridors, proper drainage systems, and wildlife crossings. Balancing infrastructure development with ecological safeguards is crucial to minimise long-term environmental damage.

This requires that ecological needs are taken into consideration from the stage of project planning and designing to their execution. The highways developed as green corridors not only sustain biodiversity and regenerate natural habitat but also benefit all stakeholders, from road users to local communities and spur eco-friendly economic growth and development.

India’s Green Highways Policy

In 2015, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways introduced the Green Highways (Plantation, Transplantation, Beautification and Maintenance) Policy to develop eco-friendly highways by increasing green cover with community participation.

By planting trees and increasing the green cover, India’s Green Highways Policy aims to reduce the impacts of air pollution and dust, as trees and shrubs along the highways act as a natural sink for air pollutants and arrest soil erosion at the embankment slopes.

Further, plants along highway median strips and the edges help to reduce the glare of oncoming vehicles, which sometimes becomes a cause of accidents.

To ensure local people were able to find employment, the policy provisioned community involvement in the tree plantation. 

The Panchayats, NGOs, Self Help Groups, farmers, the private sector, institutions, government agencies and the Forest Department are involved in the process of planting and maintenance, leading to more inclusive, sustainable, and locally accepted outcomes.

The Green Highways Policy also ensured that plant species selected would be region-specific based on local conditions such as rainfall, climate, type of soil, etc.

For example, at some places, soil conditions may be suitable for planting jamun or mango trees, while at other places, plants and grasses can be grown to derive biomass. Additionally, the policy has considered that, wherever possible, the transplantation of existing trees would be given preference while widening the roads.

The policy has changed the process for the avenue plantation and landscape improvement. Earlier, the land needed for these activities was not considered during the Detailed Project Report (DPR) stage. The new policy recommended that the requirement of land for tree plantation should be included in the Land Acquisition Plans prepared by the DPR consultants.

This move has helped in the pre-planning of the plantation activities and the space required for the same, so that there is a systematic plan before the construction of the National Highways. One per cent of the civil cost of the road projects will be for developing green corridors.

In the new Green Highways Policy, the provisions about the responsibilities attached have also been clearly defined. The planting agency needs to ensure that the condition of the site is good enough for the successful establishment of grasses. The planting agency is required to supervise all field operations like preparation of the surface, sowing of seeds or saplings and quality of planting material used.

The monitoring of the plantation status has been included as an integral part of the policy. The Monitoring Agency will monitor the progress of planting and the status of plantations continuously.

This agency shall carry out the site visit for field verification in respect of the survival, growth and size of the plantation and maintenance of the same. The monitoring agency will conduct performance audits of executing agencies for various projects annually, and the award of new contracts to the agencies will be decided based on their past performance.

Wrapping Up

While India’s highway development has boosted economic growth and connectivity, it has posed risks to ecosystems, biodiversity, and the climate.

Therefore, the successful implementation of the Green Highway Policy is critical to balancing development with ecological responsibility.

Overall, the NHAI has successfully planted more than 45 million (4.5 crore) trees and transplanted 70,000 along the national highways in India as per the Green Highways Policy 2015. It has been focusing on creating green corridors by undertaking bamboo plantation, dense plantation and vertical landscaping.

Very soon, 5 wildlife crossings will be launched on the 1,350-kilometre-long Delhi–Mumbai expressway, one of the most important projects being developed by the NHAI. Wildlife corridors can greatly help to reduce human-animal conflict and go a long way in environmental protection. 

The new policy has given a green impetus to the process of infrastructure development. It answers the question of whether the development process is putting our environment and natural resources in danger.

While it is still early stages to call out if the policy has achieved all its objectives, the initiative taken by the Government indicates that the process of development is not exclusive of environmental protection. The development can be sustainable when systematic and conscious decisions are taken.