The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the same organisation known for turning potholes into expressways faster than you can say “GPS rerouting,” is now making headlines for something even more impressive—its commitment to saving the planet.
In its second consecutive Sustainability Report for FY 2023-24, NHAI proudly flaunts its eco-credentials, proving that the road to development doesn’t have to leave a trail of carbon behind. Released by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari, the report doesn’t just talk the green talk—it walks (or rather, rolls) it with a hybrid-electric swagger.
Despite a 20% surge in highway construction this fiscal year, NHAI has managed to cut down Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Intensity from 1.0 MTCO₂e/km to 0.8 MTCO₂e/km. In highway terms, that’s like building more roads without breaking the planet’s spine—now that’s what we call lane discipline!
But wait, there’s mulch more.
NHAI has gone full throttle into the circular economy lane, recycling over 631 lakh metric tonnes of materials like plastic waste, fly-ash, and reclaimed asphalt. It turns out, what’s old is not just gold—it might be your next highway. Who knew that your broken bucket and used soda bottle might be holding up NH-44?
If that’s not enough to make Mother Nature smile, how about planting over 67 lakh saplings in 2024-25 alone—adding to a grand total of 4.69 crore trees since 2015. At this rate, the Green Highways Policy might soon be competing with the Western Ghats for biodiversity!
And it’s not just trees. Under the Amrit Sarovar Mission, NHAI has developed 467 rejuvenated water bodies, which not only revived local ecosystems but also cleverly sourced 2.4 crore cubic meters of soil for highway construction—saving the exchequer a cool ₹16,690 crore. Talk about killing two birds with one aquifer.
The Authority also reported a 74% drop in water use intensity in water-stressed areas. In a world where water is the new oil, NHAI is clearly drilling for sustainability, not controversy.
Wildlife lovers, rejoice. NHAI has integrated an eco-friendly guide to mitigate linear infrastructure’s impact on wildlife, proving you can build roads without bulldozing Bambi’s backyard.
And inside the NHAI offices? Things are looking just as good. With 100% Occupational Health and Safety coverage, zero workplace discrimination, and a firm DEI framework, the workplace sounds like a corporate utopia where no potholes exist in HR either.
On the tech side, NHAI deployed its AI-powered Data Lake 3.0, which helped resolve 155 conciliation claims and saved the nation a whopping ₹25,680 crore. That’s not just smart highways, that’s PhD-level infrastructure management.
And let’s not forget the nearly 98.5% FASTag penetration, ensuring our toll plazas are now more breeze than bottleneck—plus fewer emissions from cars stuck in traffic queues.
In conclusion, with solar energy powering lights, plastic waste holding roads together, AI keeping disputes in check, and trees lining the highways, NHAI is not just paving roads—it’s paving the way to a sustainable future.
Because let’s face it: when it comes to infrastructure and environment, India now has a fast lane—and it’s green.
