New Delhi, February 17 NHAI will develop bee corridors along national highways in the country to reduce ecological stress, an official statement said on Tuesday.
At least three such corridors are expected to be established within the next financial year, starting April 1, the Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) said.
The bee corridors will consist of a continuous stretch of bee-friendly vegetation, including flowering trees and plants, that will ensure the availability of nectar and pollen throughout the year, the ministry said.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has announced a first-of-its-kind initiative to develop pollinator or bee corridors along national highways.
The 'Bee Corridor' initiative will help reduce the increasing ecological stress faced by honeybees and other pollinators, which is adversely impacting pollination services, agricultural and horticultural productivity, and overall ecological balance, MoRTH said.
The corridors will be developed along national highway stretches and other vacant NHAI land parcels, depending upon agro-climatic conditions and local suitability. NHAI field offices across the country will identify national highway sections where clusters of flowering trees can be planted at intervals of approximately 500 meters to 1 km, corresponding to the average foraging distance of honeybees and wild bees.
NHAI field offices will also plan and develop at least three pollinator corridors during 2026-27. NHAI plans to plant around 40 lakh trees along national highways during the year 2026-27, around 60 per cent of which will be planted under the ‘Bee Corridor’ initiative.
The 'Bee Corridor' initiative will help enhance ecological outcomes, contribute to pollinator conservation, and further strengthen NHAI's commitment to environmentally responsible National Highway development.
In the statement, the ministry did not share any further details related to particular highway stretches along which the corridors will be developed.