The entire Highways network is to be divided into two categories based on the legal statys of the existing roadside plantations
in areas, where existing plantations along the Highways have been notified as protected forests as plantation is either done by the forest department for management purpose or naturally grown trees. For these areas, permission for tree cutting is required to be taken from the forest department under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. While granting the permission, the forest department stipulates the conditions not only for compensatory afforestation but also for avenue plantations.
In other areas, the roadside plantations may be taken up either through the contractor (if it is a BOQ item) or the Concessionaire (if it is included in the concession agreement), forest department and department dealing the Watershed Development in the State, Watershed Cellcum-Data Centre[WCDC] at district level and the Watershed Committee [WC] at local level with local communities/local self government/Women Self Help Groups (WSHGs)/Self Help Groups (SHGs)/Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMC), or through open bidding by empanelled agencies.
Outsourcing will be taken up for plantation and its maintenance through the bidding process. The project will be awarded on a turnkey basis based on the quantum of plantation for the specific site.
Emphasis will be on transplantation, instead of cutting the trees, wherever feasible to save them.
MoRTH/NHAI has authorised IHMCL a company promoted by NHAI, for empanelment of Plantation Agencies.
Only empanelled agencies will be allowed to bid for planting work on the National Highways.
The plantation scheme has been broadly classified into two categories which are as follows :- (i) Tree planting along the Highways Turfing with grasses and shrub/ herb. (ii) Planting on medians/special landscapes/embankment slopes.
It will be the responsibility of the planting agency to ensure that the condition of the site is good enough for the successful establishment of plants.
A study on the local flora and vegetative cover native to these sections will be carried out as part of the field surveys to enable a choice of the suitable species for particular section.
Region-wise specific choices will be made with the help of local experts from the Forest department and Horticulture department.
The selection of species will be strictly done as per the guidelines or as per the recommendation of adjoining forest department with site specific native species.
Before starting any plantation, the local forest department will be consulted for ensuring compliance to any regulation in force that may affect raising, maintenance, and harvesting of the raised plantation.
For roadside plantations, nodal agencies will be encouraged to involve the local self governments, JFMCs & SHGs for plantations. The Nodal agency for forest areas will be the concerned forest range office.
There will be a Monitoring Agency to monitor progress of planting and status of plantations on continuous basis. This agency shall carry out the site visit for field verification. It will examine the reports and send feedback and action points to planting agency, nodal agency and will send a comprehensive report with recommendation to NHAI/MoRTH. An Advisory committee will be set up to advice monitoring cell.
Monitoring agency will conduct performance audit
The survival should be 90% after raising the plantation of age one year at any stage during contractual period with normal shape and size.
The planting agency will have no right whatsoever on the land under plantation. Such agency will not be authorized to undertake any other activity on such land. An MOU will be signed with the agency for strict compliance of the technical specification, species, maintenance schedule, survival, payment terms and conditions and on the legal right of the land as well as forest produce.
Plantation will be done to enhance the road safety of the users and it will be ensured that plantation shall not become hazard to road traffic or restrict the visibility.
Awards will be given to the best performing agencies annually.
Penalties will be imposed on the defaulters.
Policy will be reviewed regularly.
One percent of the Total Project Cost (TPC) as Plantation Fund which will be kept in a separate account with the Authorised Agency.
Services of NABARD will be hired to empanel the agencies
