NHAI Tightens Tree Plantation Guidelines

Summary of NHAI's New Guidelines on Tree Plantation for Highway Projects

Key Highlights:

• Authority: National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)
• Focus: Strict compliance for tree plantation in highway projects before issuing Provisional Completion Certificates (PCC).

New Guidelines:

1. Tree Plantation Requirements:

   • Minimum Plantation Coverage: 80% of the designated Right of Way (RoW) must be planted.
   • Survival Rate: At least 90% of the planted trees must survive at the time of inspection.

2. Relevant Policies:

   • Compliance with the Green Highways Policy, 2015.
   • Adherence to IRC:SP:21-2009 and other guidelines issued by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and NHAI.

3. Provisional Completion Certificate (PCC):

   • Issuance of PCC is contingent upon meeting the minimum tree plantation and survival criteria.
   • Any shortfall in the required 80% plantation must be compensated within a specified timeframe, with financial penalties applied until full compliance is achieved.

4. Operational and Maintenance (O&M) Requirements:

   • Strengthened tree plantation requirements during the operational phase of highways.
   • O&M payments, especially for Hybrid Annuity Mode and Build-Operate-Transfer projects, are linked to maintaining a minimum survival rate of 90% for planted trees.

5. Plant Replacement:

   • Timely replacement of dead or damaged plants is mandated to maintain uniformity and continuity in tree cover along highways.

6. Technical Assistance:

   • NHAI will engage environmental and plantation specialists to verify compliance with survival standards before processing maintenance payments.

Environmental Commitment:

• The revised guidelines reflect NHAI's commitment to integrate environmental sustainability and plantation management within the core framework of highway project implementation and maintenance.

Judicial and Regulatory Context:

• The guidelines aim to address past issues where tree plantation obligations were inadequately prioritized during the PCC issuance process, reinforcing the importance of environmental considerations in infrastructure development.

Conclusion:

NHAI's new stringent guidelines aim to enhance the ecological integrity of highway projects by ensuring robust tree plantation and maintenance protocols, thereby aligning with national environmental goals and sustainable development practices.