Indian highways set to get a greener look

NEW DELHI: Indian highways are set to get greener and cleaner look. From now onwards only fruit and shade bearing species such as peepal, mahua, mango, imli, jamun, arjun, seesam and jackfruit will be planted along roads unlike the present practice of planting eucalyptus.

The road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari has given a go ahead to the " Green Highways (Plantation & Maintenance) Policy", which makes it mandatory for the agencies carrying out plantation along highways to maintain them.

"For the past over 30 years, we have seen how more and more eucalyptus and Australian babool have been planted along highways, which have little value since these neither provide shade nor fruits. If we go back to the history of road building, rulers preferred planting fruit and shade bearing trees for comfort of commuters and also for benefit of local residents. Why would local people take interest in protecting eucalyptus?" asked a road ministry official.
Though planting trees by road developers is mandatory as per the contracts, it's an open secret how these players give least importance to plantation. "Since they are specialized in building roads, their focus is different. So, as per the guideline road construction and plantation will be delinked. Specialized agencies will get the work for planting and maintaining the trees," an official said.

The road transport ministry will have a panel of expert and specialized agencies for this task. Plantation would be taken up through outsourcing following bidding process. Keeping in mind that the survival rate of plants is dismal, the policy has specified this should be "at least 90% after raising the plantation of age one year at any stage during contractual period with normal shape and size."

The guideline also specifies that the first row along the highways will get small to medium sized ornamental trees. Subsequent rows depending on the availability of width will comprise of ornamental or shade bearing species, of more height than those in the first row, planting shrubs in the median, planting herbaceous species as ground cover in the median, special lanscapes and embankment slopes.

The guidelines will suggest different types of plants for different type of soil condition. While the list consists of species that can be planted almost throughout the country, region-wise specific choices can be made with the help of local experts from forest and horticulture departments. As far as possible fruit bearing trees like mango, neem, jamun and imli are ideal for areas near habitations. Other locally useful fruit bearing species like jackfruit, mahua, bel may be preferred.

The species to be planted in the median would be of low or medium height with ornamental value to enhance the visual experience of the road corridor. The species recommended for this are mainly bougainvillea and kaner.