To increase the survival rate of saplings and promote greater public involvement in tree planting initiatives, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has decided to partner with NGOs, social organisations and educational institutions for tree planting activities along the national highways.

Contrary to the prevailing belief that NHAI contributes to the degradation of the environment by cutting down trees, it is important to note that NHAI effectively carried out the transplantation of 68,000 trees, including 12,000 trees, as part of the construction of the Dwarka highway. Notably, in Aurangabad, NHAI has successfully preserved 51 Banyan trees, each with ages ranging from 50 to 100 years.

Recognizing that a significant portion of newly planted seedlings may not survive, the approach shifts to planting saplings to optimize the overall outcome. In addition, the trees introduced during these plantation rides are geotagged to closely monitor their growth progress. Another important decision has been taken to ensure that the plantation work is not outsourced. Instead, it is preferable that those who have a genuine interest take charge of this task. Therefore, NHAI will actively cooperate with NGOs, social groups and educational institutions for this purpose. The NHAI is fully committed to providing all necessary resources to facilitate these joint efforts, according to officials familiar with ongoing developments.