THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU
NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 17, 2026
In a landmark move that redefines the intersection of infrastructure and
ecology, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has announced the
development of the country’s first dedicated pollinator or “Bee Corridors”
along National Highways, signalling a strategic shift from ornamental roadside
plantations to biodiversity-driven green infrastructure.
The initiative envisions continuous linear stretches of bee-friendly
vegetation featuring flowering trees and plants that provide year-round nectar
and pollen, creating vital habitats for honeybees and other pollinators. By
aligning its plantation programme with ecological priorities, NHAI aims to
address the growing stress on pollinator populations, which has begun to impact
agricultural productivity, horticulture output, and broader ecosystem stability
— sectors with direct economic linkages to rural livelihoods and food supply
chains.
Under the plan, highway plantations will be redesigned to include a
diverse mix of trees, shrubs, herbs, and grasses, retaining natural elements
such as flowering weeds, hollow trunks, and dead wood that support pollinator
nesting and foraging. Native species — including Neem, Karanj, Mahua, Palash,
Bottle Brush, Jamun, and Siris — will be prioritised to ensure ecological
compatibility and staggered flowering cycles across seasons, enabling
near-continuous bloom throughout the year.
From a business and sustainability perspective, the programme represents
a low-cost, high-impact model for integrating environmental services into core
infrastructure assets. By enhancing pollination services, the corridors are
expected to indirectly boost crop yields in adjoining agricultural zones,
support apiculture-based micro-enterprises, and strengthen rural value chains
linked to honey, wax, and allied products.
NHAI field units will identify suitable highway stretches and vacant land
parcels based on agro-climatic conditions, with clusters of flowering trees
planned at intervals of 500 metres to 1 kilometre — aligned with the average
foraging range of honeybees and wild bees. Each field office will develop at
least three such corridors during 2026–27.
The authority has set an ambitious plantation target of around 40 lakh
trees along National Highways in 2026–27, with nearly 60 percent earmarked
under the Bee Corridor initiative. This scale positions the programme as one of
the largest pollinator-support projects integrated with transport
infrastructure globally.
Beyond its ecological benefits, the move strengthens NHAI’s ESG
credentials at a time when green financing, climate-aligned infrastructure, and
nature-positive investments are gaining traction among lenders and multilateral
agencies. By embedding biodiversity outcomes into highway development, the
authority is positioning itself to attract sustainability-linked funding while
setting a new benchmark for environmentally responsible road construction.
The Bee Corridor programme underscores a broader policy shift in which
infrastructure growth is no longer viewed in isolation from natural capital. If
executed at scale, it could create a replicable model for integrating transport
networks with ecosystem services — delivering measurable economic,
environmental, and social returns.
