On 21st August 2020, Nitin Jairam Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways launched the mobile app, “Harit Path” for monitoring plantations and transplantation of trees along the highway. during the meeting to review the New Green Highway Policy (Plantation). The mobile app was developed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Road and Transport.
Harit Path:
Aim:
To monitor the location, growth, species details, maintenance activities, targets and achievements of each of its field units for all the plants under all the plantation projects.
Technology:
The application using geo tagging and web based GIS enabled monitoring tools to monitor the plantations.
Review meeting on New Green Highway Policy:
The review meeting on New Green Highways Policy (Plantation) over a virtual platform was chaired by Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways.
During the meeting they also discussed the use of new technologies in construction of roads.
New Technologies for construction of road:
i.The new technologies are required to reduce the cost of construction of roads by 25%.
ii.Various approaches and technologies are required for specific areas like hilly areas, border areas and coastal areas.
Suggestions:
i.Hiring specialised persons or agencies for the plantation of trees along the highways.
ii.NGOs, Self-help groups and Horticulture and Forest department should be involved in the plantations.
iii.Hiring specialised agencies equipped with new technologies to prevent the trees from being cut.
Key Points:
i.Nitin Gadkari stated that the goal of 100% plantations along the highways will be achieved by March 2022.
ii.He stressed on the usage of local materials like jute, coir, etc, for strengthening purposes.
Note:
Andaman and Nicobar utilised new technologies for the construction of roads which motivates National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) to follow this in the upcoming projects.
Recent Related News:
i.The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways becomes the first Organisation in the Construction Sector to become fully digitalised utilising the cloud and artificial intelligence.
ii.National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has achieved the highest ever highway construction feat with an accomplishment of 3,979 km of national highways in the financial Year 2019-20.
About the Ministry of Road Transport, Highways(MoRTH):
Union Minister– Nitin Jairam Gadkari
Minister of State– GEN. (DR) Vijay Kumar Singh
About National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL):
Managing Director– Keshav Kumar Pathak
Headquarters– New Delhi
