New Delhi: In a move that combines India’s love for highways with its growing love for clean energy, Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to install solar power plants along the elevated stretch of Package-1 (Delhi Portion) of the Delhi–Saharanpur–Dehradun Highway (NH-709B), Phase-1. The ceremony took place in the presence of Minister of State for Corporate Affairs & Road Transport and Highways, Harsh Malhotra, who was joined by V. Umashankar, Secretary, MoRTH, and Sanjay Sharma, Director, SECI Ltd.
The signing marks a crucial step toward realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji’s ambitious Net Zero 2070 vision. And while the highway is designed to get people from Point A to Point B faster, this initiative makes sure the journey doesn’t take Planet Earth down the wrong road.
A Solar Highway with Real Driving Power
Under this pioneering MoU, SECI and NHAI will collaborate to develop renewable energy projects integrated directly with highway infrastructure. Solar panels along elevated stretches will harness abundant sunlight to power highway utilities, reduce grid dependency, and slash carbon emissions.
The Delhi portion of NH-709B, which currently sees heavy traffic, might soon be doing double duty—transporting people and quietly generating clean energy overhead. It’s like giving the highway a second job, and for once, no overtime pay is required.
A New Template for Sustainable Infrastructure
Calling the partnership “a pathway to innovative and environmentally friendly highway solutions,” Harsh Malhotra emphasized that the project embodies the government’s commitment to renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure.
By leveraging solar power along highway corridors, the initiative will:
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Create a scalable, replicable model for future infrastructure
- Demonstrate the feasibility of integrating renewable energy with large-scale transportation networks
Engineering meets ecology—without compromising either.
Leading by Example
The Minister noted that the collaboration between SECI and NHAI is more than a technical exercise; it is a symbolic step toward climate-responsible nation-building. As India expands expressways at record pace, the government wants to ensure that economic acceleration doesn’t carry an environmental brake deficit.
The Delhi–Saharanpur–Dehradun corridor, once known simply as a mobility lifeline, will now stand as a green showcase: solar panels quietly powering highway systems, reducing carbon footprint, and reminding travelers that sustainability doesn’t always need to be loud—it just needs to shine.
A Cleaner Journey Ahead
With this agreement, both SECI and NHAI reaffirmed their commitment to future-ready development—where infrastructure isn’t just built to serve, but also to sustain. And if sunlight becomes a regular companion of India’s expressways, commuters may one day brag not just about their mileage, but about the megawatts they drove under.
