NHAI plans India’s first bee corridors on highways, planting 40 lakh trees to boost pollinators and ecology.
Reinforcing its commitment to sustainable and environmentally responsible infrastructure, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has announced a first-of-its-kind initiative to develop dedicated pollinator or ‘Bee Corridors’ along national highways across the country.
The initiative marks a strategic shift from ornamental plantations to ecological landscaping, with continuous linear stretches of bee-friendly vegetation comprising flowering trees and plants that provide nectar and pollen throughout the year. These corridors are aimed at addressing the rising ecological stress on honeybees and other pollinators, which directly affects pollination services, agricultural and horticultural productivity, and overall ecological balance.
Under the ‘Bee Corridor’ programme, NHAI will align its plantation activities to include a diverse mix of trees, shrubs, herbs, and grasses. The approach will retain wild ecological elements by allowing flowering weeds to bloom and preserving features such as dead wood and hollow trunks that support pollinator habitats. Plant species will be carefully selected to ensure staggered flowering across seasons, enabling near-continuous blooming year-round. Native species such as Neem, Karanj, Mahua, Palash, Bottle Brush, Jamun, and Siris will be planted along highway corridors.
Based on agro-climatic conditions and local suitability, these bee corridors will be developed along selected National Highway stretches and vacant NHAI land parcels. Field offices will identify highway sections where clusters of flowering trees can be planted at intervals of approximately 500 metres to one kilometre, aligned with the average foraging distance of honeybees and wild bees. Each NHAI field office has been directed to plan and develop at least three pollinator corridors during 2026–27.
As part of its broader green drive, NHAI plans to plant around 40 lakh trees along National Highways in 2026–27, with nearly 60 percent of the plantation to be undertaken under the ‘Bee Corridor’ initiative. The programme is expected to significantly enhance ecological outcomes, strengthen pollinator conservation, and further integrate sustainability into India’s national highway development framework.
Source: PIB
