**Executive Summary**
This document summarizes the Indian government's responses to questions in Lok Sabha regarding the implementation of the Green Highways Policy. It outlines targets for using recycled materials in National Highway projects for the financial year 2025-26, describes the government's plans for speeding up the policy's implementation, and details a third-party audit system for verifying tree survival rates. It also provides guidelines for using steel slag in pavement works and the coordination between the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the Ministry of Steel to ensure continuous material supply. The information was presented to Lok Sabha on December 18, 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Recycled Materials in National Highway Projects (2025-26)**
* State-wise targets for using recycled materials, Construction & Demolition (C&D) waste, and fly ash in National Highway projects are provided in Annexure 1.
* The Indian Roads Congress (IRC) frames and amends standards/guidelines to facilitate waste usage in highway construction, based on international best practices and research.
* **Implementation of Green Highways Policy**
* Plantations are carried out along available surplus median and roadside land as per the Green Highways (Plantation, Transplantation, Beautification & Maintenance) Policy-2015.
* Avenue and median plantations are taken up as per the Annual Plantation Action Plan, following relevant Indian Road Congress Standards.
* The Green Highways Policy 2015 mandates the inclusion of a greening component in detailed project reports and Concession Agreements of all highway projects.
* Details of plantations along National Highways are attached in Annexure-II.
* Campaigns like “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0" were organized to boost plantation activities, and 58.82 Lakhs saplings were planted in the plantation year 2025-26.
* **Third-Party Audit System for Tree Survival Rates**
* NHAI has empanelled Technology Service Providers (TSPs) to analyze drone imagery for monitoring plantation activities using AI/ML inbuilt in their Drone Analytics Monitoring System (DAMS).
* NRSC, Hyderabad is conducting a pan-India estimation of green cover (Green Cover Index - GCI) using satellite imagery.
* Regular internal monitoring is performed by Independent Engineers/authority engineers and NHAI field officers.
* **Use of Steel Slag and Other Industrial Waste**
* Policy guidelines have been issued for using processed urban solid waste, plastic waste, steel slag, and other industrial waste materials in National Highway construction, dated 23.09.2024.
* The quality and quantity of steel slag are determined based on availability in consultation with the steel plant.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)**
* **Impact:** Required to meet state-wise targets for using recycled materials and increase plantation along highways. They will need to implement drone monitoring and utilize third-party audits.
* **Action Required:** Develop strategies to meet targets for recycled materials and manage plantation projects, and implement the drone imagery analysis with Technology Service Providers.
**Stakeholder: Road Construction Contractors**
* **Impact:** Need to use recycled materials in construction projects and follow guidelines for greening components.
* **Action Required:** Implement the use of recycled materials, plan plantation activities in projects, and adhere to the new IRC standards/guidelines.
**Stakeholder: Ministry of Steel and Steel Industries**
* **Impact:** Expected to ensure a continuous supply of steel slag for highway construction.
* **Action Required:** Coordinate with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to determine the required quality and quantity of steel slag.
Key Entities Referenced
Green Highways Policy: A policy focused on promoting environmentally sustainable practices in the development and maintenance of National Highways through afforestation, waste utilization, and greening initiatives.
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways: The primary government body responsible for the formulation and administration of policies, including the Green Highways Policy, for the development and maintenance of road transport and highways in India.
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI): The authority responsible for the development, maintenance and management of National Highways in India, and implementation of the Green Highways Policy.
Indian Roads Congress (IRC): A technical body that formulates and amends standards/guidelines for road construction, including those related to green highway practices.
National Highway (NH): Roads maintained by the central government.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3161
ANSWERED ON 18TH DECEMBER, 2025
IMPLEMENTATION OF GREEN HIGHWAYS POLICY
3161. SHRI AVIMANYU SETHI:
SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH CHOUDHARY:
Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री
be pleased to state:
(a) the targets set by the Government for using recycled materials,
Construction and Demolition waste and fly ash in National Highway
(NH) projects in the financial year 2025-26 and the manner in which it
is ensuring the structural integrity of these green highways;
(b) the manner in which the Government plans to speed up the
implementation of the green highways policy including mandatory
roadside afforestation/tree plantation;
(c) the details of third-party audit system that verifies tree survival
rates along the NHs;
(d) whether the Government has finalised guidelines for using steel
slag in major pavement works for the said region, if so, the details
thereof; and
(e) the manner in which the Ministry is coordinating with the Ministry
of Steel and the steel industries to ensure continuous supply of the
material for the purpose?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)(a) The State-wise list of targets under National Highways Authority of
India (NHAI) for using recycled materials, Construction & Demolition
(C&D) waste, and fly ash in National Highways project attached in
Annexure 1.
Based on international best practices and outcome of indigenous
research including performance evaluation of pilot projects, new
standards/guidelines are framed by Indian Roads Congress (IRC) and
existing standards/guidelines of IRC are amended from time to time to
facilitate use of waste in highway construction.
(b) As per the Green Highways (Plantation, Transplantation,
Beautification & Maintenance) Policy-2015 of NHAI, plantations are
carried out along available surplus median and roadside land of Right
of Way (ROW). Avenue and median plantations are taken up as per
Annual Plantation Action Plan following the guidelines and species
matrix according to agro-climatic zone of the project area in
conformity with the relevant Indian Road Congress Standard (IRC:
SP:21-2009).
The Green Highways Policy 2015 mandates the inclusion of greening
component in detailed project reports and Concession Agreements of
all highway projects.
NHAI has planted 524.68 Lakhs plants on National Highways after
promulgation of Green Highways Policy -2015. The State-wise details
of plantations along NHs are attached at Annexure-II.
Further, to boost plantation activities in the field, campaign like “Ek
Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0” were organized starting from World
Environment Day. So far 58.82 Lakhs saplings were planted by various
agencies of the Government in the Ministry of Road Transport &
Highways during the plantation year 2025-26.
(c) NHAI has empanelled Technology Service Providers (TSPs) to
analyze the drone imagery of NHs including plantations through the
AI/ML (Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning) inbuilt in their Drone
Analytics Monitoring System (DAMS) for monitoring of the plantation
activities including survival rates of saplings along NationalHighways. This is a pilot project and is still under the process of
improvement and development.
Further, NRSC (National Remote Sensing Centre), Hyderabad has
undertaken a comprehensive pan-India estimation of green cover
(referred as Green Cover Index (GCI)) for plantation along National
Highways using high resolution satellite imagery.
In addition, regular internal monitoring is also carried out through
Independent Engineers/authority engineers along with NHAI field
officers.
(d) The Government has issued policy guidelines on use of processed
urban solid waste, plastic waste, steel slag and other industrial
waste materials in construction of National Highway, vide circular no.
RW/NH-33044/27/2024/S&R (P&B) (Computer No. 243038) dated
23.09.2024.
(e) Quality and quantity of steel slag is determined on basis of
availability in consultation with the steel plant.ANNEXURE-I REFERED TO IN REPLY TO PART (A) OF LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3161 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18TH
DECEMBER, 2025 ASKED BY SHRI AVIMANYU SETHI &
SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH CHOUDHARY
REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION OF GREEN HIGHWAYS POLICY.
Recycled Materials
(MT)
Construction &
Sr. No. State = RAP+Plastics+Other Fly Ash (MT)
Demolition Waste (MT)
Sutainable materials
etc.
1 Andhra Pradesh 0 19052.39 8188764
2 Assam 0 7008 0
3 Bihar 0 465.93 9681302.64
4 Chhattisgarh 0 12788.29 6754000
5 Delhi 400000 48784 0
6 Gujarat 9301 8065.08 118708.33
7 Haryana 315030.51 3,468.80 631720.99
8 Himachal Pradesh 0 0 16302.07
9 Jammu & Kashmir 190000 76000 2500
10 Jharkhand 0 105333.3 5187427.4
11 Karnataka 0 6762.85 1328
12 Kerala 57600 148590.71 12853.28
13 Madhya Pradesh 750 663,249 5959269.62
14 Maharashtra 8459 13788.96 371,852
15 Odisha 0 8700 12000000
16 Punjab 0 2862.47 4679632.027
17 Rajasthan 0 1192.37 0
18 Tamil Nadu 3219 56961 1822918
19 Telangana 2090 35165 2650000
20 Uttar Pradesh 10638.573 82213.64 8873105.378
21 Uttarakhand 0 2235 1683.18
22 West Bengal 2000 22514 3810000
Total(MT) 999088.083 1325200.7905 70763366.915ANNEXURE-II REFERED TO IN REPLY TO PART (B) OF LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3161 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18TH
DECEMBER, 2025 ASKED BY SHRI AVIMANYU SETHI &
SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH CHOUDHARY
REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION OF GREEN HIGHWAYS POLICY.
Detailsof Plantati on carried out on National Highways from 2015-16 to 2025-26 (till 04t
N oS . . l State C Yav 21te . a n n M
n
n0u e 5i nao 1 u tm - o ( aen rP 1 7 t e Af s td Pu s 6 - Nl
i
o v a 1 &P i ol
l
( aa t of aen 82 il o t 3 )t 0 i P o A ne Po n tenl 0 if a l( t dv & o 1 a hN1 s Ln e i ni 9 P n8 a
)
nt n o aMi ta - l nn. u ka a i 2t i M ot Ln n nP A u2i nf( to t al e0 2 N ev s aa n P
k
P 1 0 de itn &o
n
hli i9 n l i at n o.i a a )- a n n o e P knf hl2 au )0 P nP e2 tl l a a&a 0 n tn - i 2 t ot s M1a n t ii e i( no nN dn A i Lo a. vi n a 0 a M in2 n e1 t Ls dP - a2 il a kia 2 n nn h A(t )PNa v lt o ai eo . nn n tuo a ef ti n i& oP n2 l 2 P & a0 tl i a2 oMnP 2 nt-l s ea 2 i ndn 3 i it n Laa ( n aNt Ai ko Po v hn . e l a ) n o ni un f t e
h
2 P &
aD
0 tl i
a2e oMnPc
3
nte
-l s ea 2
im
ndn 4 i
itb
n Laa
(e
n aNt
Ar
i ko Po v
h2
n . e l a
)0
n o
ni2
un f
t5
e
)
( nP N ula o en . t&t ia o o ft nM io P en il nd a ii n Lan t n a s2 k 0 i P h2 n )l4 a A- n2 v t5 ae (N Mo Pe. d lao ia nf n tan 0 Pm P - & t4 l2l iabta i o6 hn ne Ln n5 r t t a2 )D s (a 2 in0 t et ni 0 i2 di cl n o l 25 Le A P aa kv re hcn )e u lse , P PMn(-( 2T P N la luP 12r a aA e0 2tl eo r e 6 o0 n nia d2 6 vot o s . 1 &n t ti5 )a ts en g s
aa
5 ot -l o n
tn
f ii
n aki hn
)
L on
a
kin
h
)L
A uev en M ane di T alo t A uev en M ane di T alo t A uev en M ane di T alo t A uev en M ane di T alo t A uev en M ane di T alo t A uev en M ane di
nL da
T alo t Total
Pa rc
els
1 Andhra 6.34 1.47 4.8 1. 2 1.79 3. 0 0 .5 1 .1 1. 6 0. 5 1. 0 1. 5 0. 5 0. 5 1. 1 0. 8 1. 2 2. 1 1. 5 2. 6 0.07 4. 2 26.34
Pradesh 2 1 0 7 7 8 0 8 8 5 4 9 2 1 0 4 2
2 Assam 1.01 0.73 0.04 0. 9 1.54 2. 4 1 .0 0 .7 1. 7 0. 4 0. 4 0. 8 0. 2 0. 6 0. 8 0. 2 0. 1 0. 4 0. 2 0. 0 0.00 0. 3 8.47
2 6 1 2 3 5 4 9 2 3 5 4 9 3 3 9 2
3 Bihar 1.62 0.64 0.93 0. 6 0.04 0. 7 1 .0 0 .9 2. 0 0. 6 1. 4 2. 1 1. 1 1. 2 2. 3 2. 1 1. 7 3. 8 1. 4 0. 7 0.00 2. 1 16.41
8 2 7 6 3 5 7 2 5 3 8 0 5 5 2 1 2
4 Chha ttis 2.02 0.86 0.54 0. 8 0.34 1. 1 0 .7 0 .3 1. 0 0. 8 0. 4 1. 3 0. 8 0. 3 1. 1 0. 5 0. 5 1. 1 1. 4 0. 5 0.11 2. 1 11.33
garh 4 8 0 1 2 8 4 3 6 1 7 3 7 0 7 3 1
5 Delhi 0.5 5.5 0.02 1. 3 0.80 2. 1 2 .8 6 .7 9. 5 2. 1 1. 2 3. 4 2. 4 1. 1 3. 6 7. 4 1. 5 8. 9 2. 3 1. 3 0.10 3. 8 37.45
3 3 0 1 0 8 6 4 7 3 0 5 0 5 8 2 0
6 Gujarat 4.96 0.65 1.06 1. 2 1.58 2. 7 0 .5 1 .8 2. 3 2. 4 2. 1 4. 5 1. 6 2. 0 3. 6 2. 4 3. 3 5. 8 1. 7 2. 3 0.07 4. 1 30.04
0 8 8 0 8 1 0 1 1 8 9 5 8 3 3 8 8
7 Haryana 6.46 4.25 0.28 0. 6 1.91 2. 5 1 .0 0 .5 1. 5 0. 9 1. 2 2. 1 1. 1 1. 8 2. 9 1. 0 4. 5 5. 5 2. 7 1. 5 0.02 4. 3 30.21
1 2 0 9 9 3 7 9 3 5 8 7 2 9 6 6 4
8 H imacha 0.16 0.08 0.23 0. 4 0.26 0. 6 0 .4 0 .2 0. 7 0. 3 0. 4 0. 8 0. 2 0. 1 0. 3 0. 3 0. 2 0. 6 0. 2 0. 4 0.00 0. 6 4.28
l Prades 2 8 7 5 1 5 7 2 1 1 2 9 5 4 2 2 4
h
9 Jammu 0.41 0.38 0.06 0. 0 0.12 0. 1 0 .1 0 .3 0. 4 0. 2 0. 6 0. 8 0. 4 0. 3 0. 7 1. 0 0. 1 1. 1 0. 5 0. 9 0.00 1. 4 5.65
& K ash 1 3 1 1 2 0 6 6 1 6 6 5 3 8 4 2 5
mir
1 Jh arkhan 1.32 0.86 0.26 0. 5 0.65 1. 1 1 .3 1 .2 2. 5 0. 7 0. 3 1. 0 0. 5 0. 3 0. 9 0. 3 0. 6 1. 0 0. 4 0. 7 0.00 1. 2 10.34
0 d 0 6 2 1 3 7 0 7 7 6 2 2 9 1 8 3 1
1 K arnatak 7.51 1.75 3.73 0. 8 2.70 3. 5 1 .4 2 .2 3. 7 1. 0 1. 8 2. 8 0. 5 1. 6 2. 2 1. 3 1. 4 2. 7 0. 6 1. 3 0.06 2. 0 30.13
1 a 1 1 7 6 3 4 2 6 6 7 3 0 9 9 5 2 3
1 Kerala 0.9 0.24 0.15 0. 0 0.25 0. 3 0 .0 0 .2 0. 2 0. 0 0. 1 0. 1 0. 0 0. 1 0. 1 0. 0 0. 0 0. 0 0. 0 0. 0 0.00 0. 0 2.29
2 8 3 4 0 4 2 3 6 1 8 8 0 2 3 0 6 6
1 Madhya 0.49 2.31 5.3 1. 7 2.16 3. 9 2 .2 3 .5 5. 7 5. 0 5. 1 10 .1 3. 1 3. 9 7. 0 4. 1 4. 3 8. 4 2. 1 1. 0 1.32 4. 5 48.05
3 Pradesh 8 4 5 2 7 5 3 8 1 3 4 9 0 9 2 7 1
1 Mah aras 7.46 0.64 4.62 1. 8 2.40 4. 2 3 .2 4 .7 7. 9 2. 6 3. 3 6. 0 2. 7 2. 5 5. 2 1. 7 2. 3 4. 0 1. 2 1. 4 0.01 2. 7 43.00
4 htra 2 2 3 4 7 9 4 4 1 4 5 2 7 9 3 8 2
1 Odisha 2.91 2.04 1.73 1. 8 1.06 2. 9 2 .4 1 .3 3. 7 1. 8 1. 5 3. 4 1. 2 1. 4 2. 6 0. 7 1. 8 2. 5 0. 8 2. 1 0.00 3. 0 25.05
5 4 0 3 5 8 8 2 0 3 5 8 1 2 3 8 9 7
1 Punjab 3.98 0 1.98 2. 5 2.26 4. 8 2 .1 0 .8 2. 9 1. 1 1. 3 2. 4 1. 3 1. 0 2. 3 1. 5 2. 8 4. 3 2. 4 1. 9 0.12 4. 5 27.39
6 5 1 5 1 6 2 4 5 3 0 3 5 1 6 2 6 1
1 R ajastha 8.1 1.52 2.07 3. 1 1.63 4. 7 4 .1 5 .2 9. 4 7. 2 5. 1 12 .4 2. 8 5. 2 8. 1 2. 1 2. 3 4. 4 2. 4 0. 7 0.79 3. 9 54.91
7 n 6 9 7 8 5 9 6 6 1 9 0 3 1 5 6 4 9
1 Tam ilN 6.44 1.82 2.92 1. 1 1.67 2. 8 0 .9 1 .5 2. 4 1. 0 1. 5 2. 5 1. 2 1. 3 2. 6 2. 9 1. 2 4. 2 1. 4 1. 4 0.00 2. 8 28.74
8 adu 9 6 3 4 7 3 2 5 7 5 2 2 7 0 0 8 7
1 T elangan 3.09 0.18 0.59 1. 7 1.51 3. 2 0 .6 1 .5 2. 1 0. 6 2. 0 2. 7 0. 3 0. 3 0. 7 0. 3 0. 4 0. 7 0. 7 1. 0 0.21 1. 9 15.54
9 a 6 7 4 4 8 5 9 4 6 9 4 1 7 8 4 1 6
2 Uttar Pr 6.74 3.8 3.56 1. 7 4.55 6. 3 1 .6 3 .7 5. 4 3. 2 3. 0 6. 2 2. 8 2. 0 4. 8 2. 0 1. 5 3. 5 1. 0 2. 1 0.59 3. 8 44.26
0 adesh 6 1 7 5 1 5 2 7 0 2 1 3 0 3 5 8 2
2 Utta rakh 0 0.52 0.15 0. 6 1.46 2. 1 1 .4 0 .7 2. 1 0. 7 0. 5 1. 2 0. 3 0. 1 0. 5 0. 2 0. 1 0. 3 0. 1 0. 1 0.00 0. 3 7.40
1 and 4 0 0 3 2 0 3 3 8 8 6 8 0 9 7 4 1
2 Wes tBe 3.85 1.03 1.2 1. 4 1.59 3. 0 1 .6 0 .7 2. 3 1. 8 0. 5 2. 3 1. 2 0. 5 1. 7 0. 5 0. 5 1. 1 0. 3 0. 2 0.00 0. 6 17.39
2 n gal 6 4 4 4 8 7 1 7 0 3 2 8 6 4 8 8 6
76.27 31.27 36.22 26 .5 3 2.2 5 8.8 31 .5 40 .4 72 .0 35 .9 35 .5 71 .5 26 .9 29 .1 56 .0 34. 33 . 67 . 26 . 25. 3.47 54 . 524.68
Gr 8 9 7 8 7 5 9 3 2 6 2 8 23 24 47 24 22 93
an
d
To t
al
*****