India’s highways need a green policy reset

One promising solution is Highway Farm Forestry — a market-linked agroforestry approach in which farmers adjoining highways voluntarily cultivate commercially viable tree crops instead of pollution-sensitive food crops

India is expanding its highways at an unprecedented pace. Under Bharatmala and Vision 2047, thousands of kilometres of expressways and highways are reshaping connectivity, reducing logistics costs and accelerating economic growth. This transformation is creating an ecological and public-health burden. Highway corridors are increasingly becoming zones of pollution accumulation, landscape fragmentation and agricultural risk. Since many highways pass through densely populated agricultural regions, the impacts extend beyond the carriageway itself.

India needs a policy shift: Highways must no longer be viewed merely as transport infrastructure, but as ecological and socio-economic landscapes. One promising solution is Highway Farm Forestry (HFF) — a market-linked agroforestry approach in which farmers adjoining highways voluntarily cultivate commercially viable tree crops instead of pollution-sensitive food crops. These “Tree Crop Buffer Zones” can reduce pollution exposure, strengthen timber supply chains, improve ecological connectivity and generate additional income.

Unlike earlier social-forestry programmes that struggled because of weak market linkages and top-down implementation, HFF is profitability-driven. Farmers will adopt tree cultivation only if returns exceed existing land-use income. Species such as poplar, bamboo, teak, Malabar neem and gamhar already have strong industrial demand. With assured buyback arrangements and extension support, roadside agroforestry can become a viable rural enterprise.

The economic rationale is also compelling. India imports nearly Rs 70,000 crore worth of wood and wood products annually. HFF could reduce import dependence, create rural employment and strengthen timber industries in line with the “Make in India” agenda.

However, the proposal is not simply about timber production. It is fundamentally about integrating ecological planning into infrastructure policy. Conventional roadside green belts based solely on public land acquisition are difficult to scale across the highway network, given the high cost of acquiring adjoining land. A more practical approach is a differentiated “Tiered Zone Framework”. Highways nearest to pollution-affected belts  — roughly within 100 m — should prioritise tree-based systems, while areas beyond can continue mixed agroforestry or conventional agriculture depending on local ecological and livelihood conditions. This calibrated approach recognises that ecological restoration, food security and farmer livelihoods must advance together.

Properly designed roadside tree systems can function as ecological stepping stones in fragmented landscapes, supporting pollinators, birds and local microclimates. Plantation biomass can also support carbon sequestration and help farmers participate in emerging carbon markets.

At the same time, ecological safeguards are essential. Monocultural plantations could create new environmental problems if poorly designed. Species selection must therefore remain science-based, region-specific and groundwater-sensitive. Ecologically invasive species should be excluded, while native and mixed-species systems should be encouraged. HFF is not a substitute for cleaner mobility systems or stronger environmental safeguards in infrastructure planning; it must complement them.

Implementation will require institutional coordination and farmer support. Farmers need quality planting material, extension services, predictable markets and simplified regulations. Encouragingly, the National Transit Pass System introduced in 2023 has already addressed a major bottleneck by enabling seamless interstate movement of timber through a “One Nation, One Pass” framework.

What India now needs is a national policy vision that treats highway corridors not merely as engines of mobility, but as strategic landscapes for ecological and economic resilience.

Mathur is former chairperson, National Biodiversity Authority of India. Sapra is former managing director, Haryana Forest Development Corporation, and Kumar is former principal chief conservator of forests, Haryana