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The National Highways Authority of India has released the first National Highways Green Cover Index (NH-GCI) report for 2025-26, providing a satellite-based measurement of vegetation along India's highways. Using data from ISRO's National Remote Sensing Centre, the study assessed around 30,000 km of highways across 24 states for the July-December 2024 period, estimating green cover within the Right of Way. The report ranks states on green cover, with Assam, Gujarat, Telangana, Bihar, and Tamil Nadu leading, and Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Jammu & Kashmir at the lower end. It sets a baseline for future monitoring.
The National Highways Authority of India has published the first NH-GCI 2025-26 report, offering a quantitative assessment of vegetation along the country's national highways. The report was prepared with the National Remote Sensing Centre of ISRO and uses high-resolution satellite imagery to detect chlorophyll content, estimating the percentage of green cover within the Right of Way along highways. Each one-kilometre segment is analysed, providing detailed insight into areas with higher or lower vegetation density. Advertisement
The assessment covered approximately 30,000 km of national highways across 24 states for the period between July and December 2024. The NH-GCI enables tracking year-on-year changes, helping authorities compare, rank, and identify highway stretches needing additional plantation work. This method supplements traditional field inspections and supports broader environmental monitoring goals along road corridors.
According to the report, Assam recorded the highest green cover, followed by Gujarat, Telangana, Bihar, and Tamil Nadu. At the lower end were Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Jammu & Kashmir. The percentage figures reflect both the extent of assessed highway stretches and the number of plantation projects implemented. Future annual assessments are expected to monitor progress and improvements systematically.
This initiative originates from a three-year MoU signed in January 2024 between NHAI and NRSC, aimed at developing a scientific and quantitative method for monitoring plantations along highways. The NH-GCI is part of NHAI's effort to enhance environmental sustainability in infrastructure development and strengthen the government's push to expand green cover along national highways.
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