NHAI Sustainability Report Highlights Initiatives Taken for Environment Sustainability
NHAI Sustainability Report Highlights Initiatives Taken for Environment Sustainability
Highlighting its commitment towards environment sustainability, NHAI released its second consecutive ‘Sustainability Report’ for the fiscal year 2023-24. The comprehensive report details NHAI’s robust framework for integrating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into every aspect of its operations. It also highlights NHAI’s alignment with India’s global commitments and the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for a sustainable future, as encapsulated in the ‘Mission LiFE’ (Lifestyle for Environment) initiative and circular economy. The report was recently released by Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon’ble Minister for Road Transport and Highways.
The ‘Sustainability Report 2023-24’ underlines the effectiveness of various efforts made by NHAI for environmental protection and energy conservation. As per the report, despite a 20% increase in National Highway construction in FY 2023-24, NHAI successfully reduced its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Intensity from 1.0 MTCO2e/km to 0.8 MTCO2e/km demonstrating a clear decoupling of construction growth from emissions.
The report also highlighted NHAI’s efforts to promote the circular economy, which is one of the main pillars of sustainability. In FY 2023-24, NHAI utilized over 631 lakh metric tonnes of recycled and reused materials, including fly-ash, plastic waste, and reclaimed asphalt, in National Highway construction. In addition to this, NHAI continued to undertake nationwide tree plantation drives along the National Highways. In FY 2023-24, NHAI planted over 56 lakh saplings and in 2024-25 it planted 67.47 lakh saplings, bringing the total tree plantation to over 4.69 crore since the implementation of the Green Highways (Plantation, Transplantation, Beautification and Maintenance), Policy 2015. This initiative has helped to create substantial carbon sinks and enhance the positive environmental sustainability along the highways.
NHAI has also undertaken conservation and rejuvenation of water bodies along the National Highways. Under the Amrit Sarovar Mission, NHAI has completed the development of 467 water bodies across the country. This initiative has not only rejuvenated local water sources but also provided nearly 2.4 crore cubic meters of soil for National Highway construction, resulting in estimated savings of approximately ₹16,690 crore.
Further, as per the report, the water use intensity of NHAI has reduced 74% in water stressed regions as compared to previous report. NHAI has integrated ‘Best Practice Guidance Document on Eco-friendly measures to mitigate impact of linear infrastructure on wildlife’, to alleviate man-animal conflict.
In addition to sustainable development, the report also highlights NHAI’s commitment to create inclusive and responsible work practices. As per the report, 100% of NHAI’s direct employees and contract workers are covered under Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Management Framework. NHAI also reported zero instances of workplace discrimination, reflecting its strong commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Leveraging technology to enhance efficiency and Transparency, NHAI successfully implemented AI-powered ‘Data Lake 3.0’ platform, that has streamlined project management and helped resolve 155 conciliation claims, leading to an estimated savings of about ₹25,680 crore. Furthermore, the 98.5% penetration of FASTag has facilitated reducing congestion and vehicular emissions at toll plazas besides reducing carbon footprint.
The complete report is available on NHAI website at https://nhai.gov.in/nhai/sites/default/files/2025-07/Sustainability-Report-of-NHAI-for-FY-2023-24.pdf
NHAI has taken significant steps towards adopting sustainable and eco-friendly practices, including the use of renewable energy sources, promoting green highways, and adopting waste management practices. The release of the second Sustainability Report provides a transparent account of NHAI’s performance and sets a clear roadmap for future initiatives aimed at balancing rapid infrastructure growth with environment sustainability.