Executive Summary:
This document summarizes the Indian government's response regarding center median plantations on National Highways (NHs). It addresses concerns about road safety, maintenance, and the implementation of uniform greening practices. The response clarifies existing guidelines and actions taken by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to ensure proper design, planting, and maintenance of median greenery.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Median Plantation Purpose & Design:**
* Center medians are implemented on divided NHs to segregate traffic flow, enhancing safety against vehicle crossing and overtaking.
* Planting flowering plants and shrubs in center medians aims to reduce headlight glare and improve visibility at night.
* Planting depends on median type (depressed/flush), width, paved/unpaved status, and land availability, following Indian Roads Congress (IRC) guidelines.
* **Maintenance:**
* Contract agreements mandate regular maintenance including pruning, weeding, and watering of median plantations on NHs nationwide, including Tamil Nadu.
* Shrub and plant shapes are regulated to prevent overgrowth, ensuring visibility for drivers and preventing safety hazards.
* **Guidelines & Implementation:**
* Guidelines have been issued to NHAI and other agencies for periodical monitoring and maintenance of median plantations, including regular trimming of shrubs and trees.
* Obstructions caused by trees and plants, including median plantations, must be removed immediately.
* NHAI has issued specifications for saplings used in median plantations to ensure quality and aesthetic uniformity in 6-lane/4-lane NHs nationwide.
Impact Analysis:
* **National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and Executing Agencies:**
* *Impact:* Required to adhere to guidelines for periodic monitoring and maintenance of median plantations.
* *Action Required:* Ensure regular trimming of shrubs and trees, immediate removal of obstructions, and adherence to sapling specifications for new plantations.
* **Concessionaires:**
* *Impact:* Obligated to maintain median plantations as per contract agreements, including pruning, weeding, and watering.
* *Action Required:* Implement regular maintenance schedules and regulate plant shapes to avoid overgrowth and ensure driver visibility.
* **Road Users:**
* *Impact:* Benefit from improved road safety due to reduced headlight glare, better visibility, and well-maintained medians.
* *Action Required:* No direct action required, but should report any maintenance issues or safety hazards related to median plantations.
Key Entities Referenced
MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS: The Indian government ministry responsible for the development and maintenance of the national highways.
SHRI DURAI VAIKO: A member of Lok Sabha who posed a question regarding centre median plantations on National Highways.
National Highways (NHs): Roads that are designated as National Highways, maintained by the central government.
Tamil Nadu: A state in southern India where median plantations are reportedly poorly maintained.
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI): The Indian governmental agency responsible for the development, maintenance, and management of the National Highways in India.
SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI: The Minister of Road Transport and Highways, who provided the answer to the question.
Indian Roads Congress (IRC): An apex body of highway engineers in the country primarily responsible for standardization of design and specifications for construction and maintenance of roads and bridges.
6lane/4 lane NHs: National Highways with either six or four lanes.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3089
ANSWERED ON 7TH AUGUST, 2025
CENTRE MEDIAN PLANTATIONS ON NHs
3089. SHRI DURAI VAIKO:
Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री
be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is aware that Centre Median
Plantations on National Highways (NHs) are a critical component of
road safety design as they reduce headlight glare and visibility of
oncoming traffic especially during night driving and if so, the details
thereof;
(b) whether the median plantations are absent or poorly maintained
on many NH stretches across the country including in Tamil Nadu
defeating the purpose of median safety and if so, the reasons
therefor;
(c) whether the Government has issued any guidelines or
instructions to the National Highways Authority of India and
concessionaires to ensure proper design, planting and maintenance
of centre median greenery and if so, the details thereof; and
(d) whether there is a proposal to revive or implement uniform
median greening in all 6-lane/4- lane NHs across the country to
enhance visual comfort and reduce accident risk and if so, the
beautification efforts undertaken in this regard?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)(a) Planning, Design, Construction and Maintenance of National
Highways (NHs) are carried out in conformity with applicable Indian
Roads Congress (IRC) guidelines, specifications, manuals and policy
circulars of the Government. Accordingly, centre median is provided
on divided NHs with the objective of segregating the two directions
of traffic for improving safety against vehicle crossing and
overtaking manoeuvre. Further to cut-off headlight glare and
improve visibility of oncoming traffic during night, planting of
flowering plants and shrubs in centre median is done depending
upon median type i.e. depressed/flush, its width, paved or unpaved
and availability of land.
(b) Contract Agreement provides for regular maintenance, including
pruning, weeding, and watering of the median plantation on NHs
across country including in Tamil Nadu for the long-term health and
effectiveness of the plantation. The shape of shrubs and plants has
been suitably regulated so that there is no overgrowth either
vertically or horizontally. Care is taken to ensure that the plants do
not obstruct visibility for drivers or create any safety hazards.
(c) and (d) Guidelines have been issued to National Highways
Authority of India (NHAI) and other executing agencies to ensure
the periodical monitoring and maintenance measures such as
regular trimming of the shrubs and trees on the Highways so that
the signages installed on the Highways remain clearly visible to the
drivers at all seasons. It also reiterated that obstruction due to
trees and plants including median plantation shall be removed
immediately. NHAI has issued specifications of saplings for median
plantations to ensure quality and aesthetic due to uniformity in
appearance of planting material in all 6-lane/4-lane NHs across the
country.
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