NHAI Plants Over 5 Lakh Saplings Along Odisha Highways in Four Months

The National Highway Authority of India has planted more than 5.20 lakh saplings across Odisha in the past four months as part of an extensive greening campaign along highway corridors. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways announced the initiative on Monday, highlighting efforts to expand green cover and enhance biodiversity.

The plantation drive encompasses several targeted programs, including the Arogya Van medicinal plant initiative, bee corridor plantations, median greening projects, and community-based planting activities. Under the Arogya Van program, 2,500 medicinal plants have been established at Kunduli in Koraput district along the Raipur-Visakhapatnam Economic Corridor, featuring indigenous species like Bahada, Neem, Harida, and Amla.

To support pollinator populations, the bee corridor initiative has introduced 39,337 saplings of species including Neem, Spathodea, Arjun, Patoli, Kadamba, Tabebuia rosea, and Radhachuda. These plantings aim to enrich roadside vegetation and strengthen ecological diversity along highway stretches.

An additional 87,338 plants have been placed along highway medians, featuring flowering varieties such as Bougainvillea, Tecoma, Calliandra, and Caesalpinia to enhance visual appeal. The broader campaign also includes 6,000 bamboo plants and 7,097 saplings planted through community initiatives. NHAI has extended its plantation activities to schools, colleges, and other community locations to encourage public participation in environmental conservation.