“Uttar Pradesh’s Green Highways initiative is transforming national highways with extensive tree planting, aiming to reduce pollution, enhance biodiversity, and create jobs. Over 250 million saplings have been planted, supported by the Green Highways Policy, 2015. The state’s efforts align with India’s climate goals, but challenges like sapling survival and maintenance persist, requiring stronger monitoring and community involvement.”
Uttar Pradesh Leads Green Highways with Massive Tree Planting
In a bid to make India’s highways eco-friendly, Uttar Pradesh has emerged as a frontrunner in the Green Highways initiative, aligning with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways’ (MoRTH) Green Highways Policy, 2015. The state has planted over 250 million saplings across various landscapes, including along highways, as part of a broader campaign to increase forest cover and combat climate change. This effort, highlighted in a 2021 campaign, saw millions of volunteers, government officials, and activists plant saplings along highways, riverbanks, and farms to boost the state’s green cover to over 15% of its total land area in the next five years.
The Green Highways Policy, launched by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, mandates that 1% of the total project cost of highway construction be allocated for plantation and maintenance. In Uttar Pradesh, this has translated into significant investments, with approximately Rs. 1,000 crore annually dedicated to greening efforts nationwide, a portion of which supports UP’s initiatives. The policy emphasizes planting native species suited to local soil and climate, creating a plantation species matrix to ensure ecological compatibility. For instance, fruit-bearing trees like mango and tamarind are prioritized in UP to provide economic benefits to local communities through agroforestry.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has reported planting 2.23 crore trees along national highways from 2017-18 to October 2021, with Uttar Pradesh contributing significantly to this figure. The state’s highways, which account for 2% of India’s road network but carry 40% of its automobile traffic, are critical to achieving the country’s commitment to a 35% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030, as pledged at CoP 21 in Paris. Trees act as natural sinks for air pollutants, reduce dust, and mitigate soil erosion along embankment slopes, while also providing shade and reducing road accidents by minimizing headlight glare.
However, challenges remain. Environmentalists point out that only 60% of saplings typically survive due to disease, lack of water, or poor maintenance. In Uttar Pradesh, officials claim an 80% survival rate for saplings planted in recent drives, aided by geo-tagging and monitoring through ISRO’s Bhuvan and GAGAN satellite systems. Despite this, activists like Jaydeep Das have highlighted a shortfall in planting targets. For instance, NHAI’s 10 project implementation units in Maharashtra, a comparable region, planted 5.68 lakh trees against a needed 16.35 lakh, per Indian Road Congress norms. Similar gaps in UP call for stricter auditing and maintenance protocols.
The initiative also fosters employment, with MoRTH estimating that the policy could generate jobs for five lakh rural workers nationwide, many in UP. Local communities, NGOs, and private agencies are involved in planting and maintaining trees, with contracts awarded based on performance audits requiring a 90% survival rate. The state’s efforts are further bolstered by the Green National Highways Corridors Project, a $500 million collaboration with the World Bank, signed in December 2020, which includes upgrading 783 km of highways in UP, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh with green technologies.
Uttar Pradesh’s push for green highways also aligns with the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan, which emphasizes sustainable infrastructure. Projects like the Bengaluru–Chennai Expressway and others in the Bharatmala Pariyojana integrate greening efforts to enhance connectivity while minimizing environmental impact. Yet, environmentalists stress that native species must be prioritized over ornamental or fast-growing trees like eucalyptus, which offer less ecological value. The state’s commitment to geo-tagging and blockchain-based transparency, as seen in initiatives like SankalpTaru, ensures accountability, but long-term protection against road expansion remains a concern.
Disclaimer: This article is based on information from government reports, news sources like The Hindu, Times of India, and environmental organizations. Data on sapling survival and planting figures may vary, and readers are advised to verify details with official sources.