GREEN NATIONAL HIGHWAY CORRIDORS PROJECT (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)
Context: The Government of India and the World Bank have recently signed an agreement to construct the Green National Highway Corridors Project (GNHCP). This initiative aims to enhance infrastructure while promoting environmental sustainability.
Green National Highway Corridors Project (GNHCP)
- About: A safe, green, climate-resilient road project using green technologies in Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Andhra Pradesh.
- Launched in: 2015
- Nodal Ministry: Managed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
- Project Objectives
- Aim: To provide smooth, motorable roads with all-weather connectivity to nearby areas.
- Institutional Capacity: Aims to improve the Ministry’s capability in implementing safety and green technologies.
- Duration: Scheduled from 2020 to 2026.
- Funding: World Bank
- Features
o Resource Conservation: Utilizes cement-treated sub-base and reclaimed asphalt pavement.
o Local Materials: Promotes use of lime, fly ash, and waste plastic.
o Erosion Control: Uses erosion control blankets with shrub/grass plantation and hydroseeding.
ü Hydroseeding: A mixture of seed, mulch, fertilizer, and water applied to control erosion and promote vegetation growth.
o Structural Enhancements: Includes shotcrete crib walls with vegetation, bamboo plantation, and hedge brush layers.
o Geocell: A three-dimensional honeycomb-like cellular structure used for slope stabilization.
- Benefits:
o Reduces carbon emissions through green technologies and bio-engineering solutions.
o Focuses on the conservation of natural resources throughout the project’s lifecycle.
