Vijay Singh Baghel.Bhopal24 minutes ago
Madhya Pradesh has emerged as the leading state in the country in terms of plantation along national highways, with more than 39.26 lakh saplings planted over the past five years.
The plantation drive is being carried out under the Centre’s Green Highways Policy, 2015, aimed at making national highways more environmentally sustainable.
According to information provided by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari in the Rajya Sabha, more than 39.26 lakh saplings have been planted along national highways in Madhya Pradesh over the last five years.
Across the country, more than 3.61 crore saplings have been planted along approximately 1,32,000 km of national highways during the same period. Madhya Pradesh alone accounts for nearly 11% of the national plantation figure.
Five states with the lowest plantation
According to data from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Meghalaya recorded the lowest plantation over the past five years, with just 0.02 lakh (2,000) saplings planted.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands followed with 0.03 lakh (3,000) saplings, while Tripura recorded 0.15 lakh (15,000) plantations.
Arunachal Pradesh ranked fourth with 0.41 lakh (41,000) saplings, followed by Manipur with 0.50 lakh (50,000).
Among full-fledged states, excluding Union Territories, Kerala recorded the second-lowest plantation after Manipur, with 0.66 lakh (66,000) saplings planted over five years.
Top 5 States with the Most Plantations on National Highways
| S. No. | State / Union Territory | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | Total plants planted in 5 years (in lakhs) |
| 1 | Madhya Pradesh | 6.31 | 10.46 | 7.81 | 8.88 | 5.80 | 39.26 |
| 2 | Rajasthan | 9.50 | 12.46 | 8.13 | 4.53 | 4.06 | 38.68 |
| 3 | Maharashtra | 9.45 | 8.51 | 7.36 | 6.37 | 5.25 | 36.94 |
| 4 | Delhi | 9.50 | 3.44 | 3.60 | 8.95 | 3.80 | 29.29 |
| 5 | Uttar Pradesh | 5.44 | 6.42 | 5.03 | 4.21 | 4.59 | 25.69 |
Drone monitoring and Miyawaki technique being used
The government is using modern technologies to protect saplings and ensure their regular growth.
A drone-based monitoring system has been introduced for digital tracking of plantations. The Miyawaki technique is also being used to develop dense forests rapidly in relatively small areas.
To compensate for trees cut during highway construction, compensatory plantation and scientific tree transplantation are also being undertaken.
Recycled materials and sustainable construction practices
Recycled materials and industrial waste are increasingly being used in national highway construction.
These include plastic waste, fly ash and pond ash, reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), crumb rubber and bio-bitumen, which are being incorporated into different layers of roads.
For road safety and environmental protection, bamboo crash barriers and natural geotextiles made from jute and coconut coir are also being used.
Treated water from sewage treatment plants (STPs) is being utilised in road construction projects to promote water conservation.
Plantation costs included in highway project budgets
Under the Green Highways Policy, there is no separate financial allocation exclusively for plantation and environmental mitigation activities.
The cost of plantation is included in the total approved cost of the respective national highway project. The expenditure is met from the overall funds allocated to states and Union Territories.
Plantation undertaken separately or as part of standalone initiatives is also financed through the approved integrated funds for highway development.
