Indian Railways is planting an aromatic-rooted grass in Lonavala ghats to prevent landslides and avert a Nepal-like flash flood situation

As extreme rain events put more pressure on hillsides, riverbanks and infrastructure, a grass native to India is emerging as an inexpensive tool for reducing the damage caused by floods, erosion and landslides.

Vetiver, or Chrysopogon zizanioides, has traditionally been associated with its aromatic roots, essential oil and herbal uses. But its unusually deep and dense root network is now attracting attention from disaster-management agencies, railways and environmental researchers. The latest experiment is underway in Maharashtra .

Central Railways tests vetiver on Bhor Ghat slopes

Central Railways has planted 10,000 vetiver slips over about 5,600 sq m of hillside in the Bhor Ghat section between Karjat and Lonavala. The plantation is part of a Rs 5 lakh pilot project being carried out with agribusiness firm Saguna Sustainability Solutions. The locations were selected on slopes about 1 km and 15 km from a section of railway line that suffered a landslide following heavy rainfall on July 6.


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The landslide disrupted train operations for 23 days. For decades, slope protection around railway infrastructure has largely depended on conventional engineering methods involving concrete, steel and other structural measures. Vetiver represents a different approach, using a living plant as part of slope stabilisation.

A Central Railways official said the organisation had not previously used bioengineering but is now testing the approach on high embankments where prolonged rainfall has weakened the soil. The grass is being planted along the contours of the slopes.

Why vetiver can help hold soil together

Vetiver works both above and below the ground. When planted closely, the grass develops hedges that slow the movement of rainwater across the surface. This gives more time for water to infiltrate rather than rapidly running downhill and carrying soil with it.

Its roots provide the other layer of protection. They grow deeply and form a dense network capable of binding soil. Vetiver roots are reported to have tensile strength equivalent to around one-sixth that of mild steel, earning the plant the description of a "living nail" in some bioengineering applications.

The basic idea is not to stop rainwater altogether. It is to control how it moves through a slope.

Chandan Ghosh, former head of the Resilient Infrastructure Division at the National Institute of Disaster Management, explained that rainfall entering soil can increase pore-water pressure, weakening a slope. A dense root network can help create pathways for drainage and reduce the likelihood of instability.

That makes the plant particularly interesting in regions where intense rainfall repeatedly threatens roads, railway lines and settlements.

India faces significant landslide risk

The potential application is considerable. According to the Geological Survey of India, around 12.6% of India's land area, excluding snow-covered regions, is vulnerable to landslide hazards.

Climate change could make the situation more difficult, particularly when heavy rainfall combines with rapid construction and alteration of natural slopes.

In hilly areas, roads are often cut into mountainsides to create quicker transport links. When slopes are cut steeply and drainage is inadequate, the natural balance can be disturbed.

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That is where proponents believe vegetation-based engineering could complement conventional construction.

Central Railways plans to observe the current plantation through several monsoon seasons before deciding whether the method can be expanded.

A nursery near Neral is producing millions of slips

The railway project traces back to a much larger effort underway at a nursery in Neral, around 45 km from the Lonavala ghats. Millions of vetiver shoots are being cultivated there by Saguna Sustainability Solutions.

Its founder, Chandrashekhar Bhadsavle, has spent more than a decade studying the grass. He argues that vetiver can do much more than simply hold soil.

The plant's tall shoots intercept rainfall, while its roots improve water infiltration and soil structure. It can also produce mulch and contribute to soil organic matter.

A study conducted by Bhadsavle and associates Anil Nivalkar and Parshuram Agival found that areas planted with vetiver absorbed nearly all incident rainfall in their experiment, compared with about 40% on barren soil.

Vetiver is also considered non-invasive and can grow rapidly under suitable conditions.

Himachal Pradesh is also testing the approach

The idea is gaining interest beyond Maharashtra.

The Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority launched a bioengineering pilot involving vetiver last year. A nursery was established in Solan to produce planting material for vulnerable slopes.

The appeal is partly economic.

Vetiver can tolerate a wide range of soil and climatic conditions. It has been reported to survive acidic, sandy and saline soils as well as periods of flooding and drought. The India Vetiver Foundation says the grass can withstand temperatures ranging from about -15°C to 55°C and can regenerate after fires.

But experts caution that it is not a universal replacement for concrete or other engineering interventions.

P.N. Subramanian, director of the India Vetiver Foundation, said vetiver can be particularly useful as a soil-stabilisation technology, although space can be a major limitation in densely built urban areas.

That could restrict its usefulness in places such as Mumbai, where land available for vegetation-based slope treatment is limited.

Vetiver reaches Delhi's Yamuna banks

The plant is also being tested outside hill regions.The Central Industrial Security Force recently planted around one lakh vetiver slips along with 1,000 trees across six acres on the Yamuna riverbanks in Delhi as part of a land-restoration initiative aimed at creating an urban forest.

CISF Director General Praveer Ranjan highlighted several potential benefits, including riverbank stabilisation and flood protection. He also pointed to its possible application in areas affected by pollution.

The force's interest in vetiver comes from an earlier restoration project involving a three-acre coal dump in Dhanbad.

The 2021 initiative transformed a barren, degraded site into a forested area. Following support from the Union home ministry, CISF has since begun incorporating vetiver into plantation and land-restoration efforts, including through nurseries at some of its reserve battalions and training centres.

The push has also been associated with Patanjali Jha, a retired Indian Revenue Service officer whose regenerative farming work near Indore has focused heavily on vetiver.

The grass can clean polluted water too

Vetiver's potential isn't limited to land.

Researchers are exploring its ability to remove pollutants from water. Sara Parwin Banu, professor of environmental sciences at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in Coimbatore, has studied vetiver roots placed in hydroponic floating systems.

Her work indicates that the roots can capture substantial quantities of chromium and other heavy metals from wastewater.

The roots support microorganisms that help the plant function in difficult environments, including polluted water bodies and industrial wastewater.

A floating wetland system developed at TNAU and patented in 2024 has also shown reductions in nitrates, phosphates and coliform bacteria during testing.

One pilot has been conducted at Ukkadam lake in Coimbatore.

Researchers are now looking at what can be done with the plant after its useful life. Banu is exploring the conversion of spent roots into biochar, potentially creating another environmental application while opening the possibility of carbon-credit generation.

An old Indian practice gets a new purpose

Vetiver is not a new discovery for India.

The grass has been used for generations, including as a boundary and fencing plant. Its ability to anchor soil and manage water was known long before the arrival of modern terminology such as nature-based solutions and ecological engineering.

Its modern revival is being driven by a growing need for cheaper and more sustainable ways to manage environmental risks.

Vinay Kajla, who has been involved in disaster-response operations including the 2013 Kedarnath floods, has argued that more attention needs to be placed on mitigation rather than waiting for disasters and spending heavily on rehabilitation.

The argument is straightforward: preventing damage can cost far less than repairing it.

That does not mean vetiver can prevent every landslide or stop every flood. It cannot.

But as rainfall becomes more unpredictable and development continues to reshape hills and waterways, a plant that can strengthen soil, slow runoff and improve water retention offers an unusually simple addition to the disaster-management toolbox.

As Ghosh puts it, the simplicity of vetiver may have been one reason it was overlooked for so long. Now, after years of field trials and demonstrations, that same simplicity is bringing the grass back into focus.