NHAI Launches Groundbreaking Green Cover Index for National Highways

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has unveiled an innovative Annual Report on the National Highways Green Cover Index (NH-GCI) for the fiscal year 2025–26. This first-of-its-kind report, created in partnership with the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) of ISRO, aims to provide a detailed quantitative evaluation of greenery along the country’s national highways.

The NH-GCI leverages cutting-edge satellite technology to assess the chlorophyll content along the Right of Way (RoW) of national highways. This assessment uses high-resolution satellite sensors, presenting a clear and objective measure of vegetation on both sides of the roadways. The index is expressed as a percentage, representing the proportion of land covered by greenery within the RoW, analyzed at one-kilometer intervals.

Coverage and Methodology

This first assessment period covered approximately 30,000 kilometers of national highways across 24 states from July to December 2024. The insights gathered will be crucial for tracking changes in green cover over subsequent years, allowing for year-on-year comparisons and monitoring of improvements.

Collaborative Effort for Environmental Sustainability

The initiative stems from a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by NHAI and NRSC in January 2024. This collaboration represents a robust, efficient, and cost-effective method for estimating green cover on a macro level along national highways. The findings from the NH-GCI will not only facilitate comparisons and rankings but will also aid in targeted interventions for enhanced plantation management.

Commitment to Green Transformation

NHAI’s NH-GCI initiative underscores its commitment to promoting environmental sustainability and advancing the green transformation of the national highway network. The availability of this scientific data will allow for a more strategic approach in improving the ecological landscape of India’s highways.

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