The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has announced a unique initiative to enhance the green cover along National Highways by establishing Miyawaki plantations on land parcels adjacent to highways at various locations. Over 53 acres of land in and around Delhi-NCR have been earmarked for this ecological project.
Some proposed sites for Miyawaki plantations include 4.7 acres along the Haryana section of Dwarka Expressway, 4.1 acres near Sohna on the Delhi-Vadodara section of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, around 5 acres each at the Chabri and Kharkhara interchanges on NH 152D of the Ambala-Kotputli corridor in Haryana, over 12 acres at the Shamli bypass on NH-709B, 9.2 acres at the Duhai interchange on the Eastern Peripheral Expressway near Ghaziabad, and 5.6 acres near the Meerut-Najibabad section of NH-34 in Uttar Pradesh.
Ground preparation has commenced at these selected sites, with plantation efforts scheduled to be completed by the end of August 2024, during the upcoming monsoon season.
The Miyawaki method, a Japanese approach to ecological restoration and afforestation, aims to create dense, native, and biodiverse forests in a short period. These forests help retain groundwater and recharge the water table, with trees growing ten times faster and serving as sound and dust barriers. The focus will be on planting indigenous species that can thrive in local climate and soil conditions.
The development of Miyawaki forests will contribute to creating a resilient ecosystem, offering benefits such as improved air and soil quality, biodiversity conservation, rapid green cover growth, efficient carbon absorption, soil restoration, and habitat creation for local flora and fauna. If successful in Delhi/NCR, this method will be replicated across the country.
Enhancing the green cover using the Miyawaki method will not only improve the overall health and well-being of residents along the National Highways but also enhance the aesthetics and commuting experience on these roads in the NCR.
