Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari, launched a nationwide plantation drive in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday. Under the aegis of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’, NHAI organized this drive to undertake plantation of over 2.75 lakh saplings in one day through simultaneous plantations at more than 300 identified locations, along the National Highways including NHAI land parcels, toll plazas and Amrit Sarovars. Spreading the message of environment sustainability the drive witnessed participation from public representatives, Civil society, NGOs and students.
In his address Shri Gadkari said this initiative aligns with the Green India Mission (GIM) led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, aiming to convert our National Highways into environmentally sustainable Green Highways. He said our commitment to this cause is unwavering as we diligently strive to compensate for every tree felled during road projects by planting twice the number of trees. Furthermore, we have achieved success in relocating fully grown and large trees, he added.
He said this initiative serves as a concrete response to the challenges posed by climate change, as it simultaneously reduces carbon emissions and fosters the development of environmentally friendly infrastructure. He said that plantation and transplantation of trees has become an integral part of National Highway development. He said a lot of emphasis is also given to geotagging of trees, so that the progress and growth of these plants can be monitored. He also called upon people to come forward and participate in the program to have a sustainable and long-lasting impact of the plantation drive.
Minister of State for Road Transport & Highways and Civil Aviation Gen. (Retd) Dr. V.K. Singh and NHAI Chairman Shri Santosh Kumar Yadav also planted saplings near Eastern Peripheral Expressway Interchange at Dasna, Ghaziabad.
