India’s National Highways Authority (NHAI) has issued new guidelines making tree planting and maintenance a mandatory condition before newly built national highways are opened for commercial use.
Under the norms, once construction is completed, the plantation work agreed in the contract must be substantially fulfilled before the highway is certified as safe for commercial operations. NHAI has specified that saplings must be planted across at least 80% of the land earmarked as the green belt along the highway.
In addition, during inspection, the planted saplings must show a minimum survival rate of 90%. Until the remaining plantation is completed and the target is fully achieved, the authority will continue to withhold payments under the contract.
The guidelines also require contractors to replace any withered saplings with plants of the same age and growth to maintain uniform greenery.
NHAI sources said the move followed reviews of various highway projects where plantation in medians and on both sides—though contractually required—was often not given due priority.
