NHAI launches ‘Arogya Van’ to plant medicinal trees along national highways

New Delhi: In a major push to combine infrastructure development with ecological restoration, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has announced the launch of ‘NHAI Arogya Van’, a thematic plantation drive focused on medicinal tree species along vacant land parcels on national highways.

The initiative is aimed at improving biodiversity along highway corridors while promoting traditional medicinal plant knowledge.

Under the first phase, NHAI has prepared an action plan covering 17 land parcels across 62.8 hectares, where nearly 67,462 medicinal trees will be planted along highway stretches in 11 states Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi-NCR, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.

According to NHAI, around 36 medicinal tree species with recognised traditional healing value have been selected for plantation.

These include Neem, Amla, Imli, Jamun, Lemon, Gular and Maulsari, among others. The species will be planted based on their suitability to local agro-climatic conditions.

The authority said priority will be given to vacant land near toll plazas, wayside amenities, interchanges, cloverleaf junctions and other prominent stretches of national highways to ensure visibility and public outreach.

The plantations will be carried out in line with the Government of India’s landscaping and tree plantation guidelines.

NHAI said it has also identified around 188 hectares of vacant land for plantation during the upcoming monsoon season, when survival rates are expected to be higher.

Traditionally, plantation along highways has relied on native and avenue species primarily for greening and ecological stabilisation.

However, the new thematic approach is intended to add ecological, educational and cultural value to these green spaces.

Officials said the ‘Arogya Van’ initiative is aligned with the Centre’s broader emphasis on promoting Ayurveda and traditional systems of medicine, while also helping conserve indigenous medicinal flora.

The plantations are expected to serve as living repositories of medicinal plants, raising public awareness about India’s traditional medicinal knowledge and its relevance in contemporary life.

The initiative, NHAI said, reflects its commitment to building environmentally sustainable infrastructure by creating green corridors that not only improve roadside ecology but also function as knowledge hubs on medicinal plants and sustainable living.