Title: Green Spine Mandate: A Proposal to Legally Require Tree Planting Along New Flyovers and Highways in India

Purpose: To introduce a national-level policy requiring the mandatory planting of native trees along the medians and sides of all newly constructed highways, flyovers, and expressways in India to combat rising urban heat, pollution, and environmental degradation.

 
Background: India is currently witnessing rapid infrastructure development with new flyovers and highways being constructed daily, particularly in urban and semi-urban regions. However, these projects often neglect ecological planning. The resulting concrete-dominated landscapes contribute to the Urban Heat Island effect, air pollution, and loss of green cover.

 
Proposal Summary: We propose that the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), in collaboration with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), make it mandatory for all new road infrastructure projects to:

Plant a minimum of:

50 native trees per kilometer in the central median (where applicable)
100 native trees per kilometer along both roadside shoulders combined
Approved Native Species Only:

Must use region-appropriate, drought-tolerant native species such as Neem, Peepal, Amaltas, Gulmohar, etc.
Green Certification:

Tree planting must be completed and verified within 6 months of project completion.
Certification to be issued by local municipal bodies or a designated ecological audit agency.
Maintenance:

Tree care for the first 2 years to be included in the road contractor's maintenance clause.
Penalties for non-compliance.
 
Impact:

Significant reduction in urban temperature near roadways
Cleaner air and reduced dust pollution
Aesthetic improvement of roads and public morale
Boost to biodiversity and local ecosystem restoration
 
Call to Action: We urge the Ministry, NHAI, state governments, urban planners, and environmental bodies to adopt this mandate. Infrastructure growth should not come at the cost of environmental collapse.

Sign and support this proposal for a greener, livable India.

#GreenSpineMandate #HighwayOxygenLaw #TreesOnFlyovers