Bee Corridor, a unique blend of highways & apiculture! Select NHs to get 24 lakh flowering trees

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has announced a unique initiative to create pollinator-friendly 'Bee Corridors', a special initiative aimed at supporting pollinator habitats along select National Highways. The first-of-its-kind effort aims to create continuous bee-friendly vegetation areas, which will help honeybees and other pollinators through a network of flowering trees, shrubs and plants that provide nectar and pollen throughout the year.

What is ecological tree planting and why does it matter?

The new approach replaces traditional decorative tree planting with ecological tree planting -- which protects essential agricultural pollinators -- including bees, according to an official statement. These pollinators are essential for agriculture, horticulture and ecological balance.

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This initiative will introduce durable environmental benefits as ecological pressure from various sources increases, harming honeybees, pollination services and crop productivity, stated the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, which governs highway authority NHAI.

How will bee corridors help pollinators?

Bee Corridors will be aimed at enabling the creation of direct paths that consist of native plants that bloom throughout the year and native trees that function as food sources and protective spaces for pollinators. The project will implement a combination of trees, shrubs, herbs and grasses. It will maintain three natural components, which include flowering weeds, dead wood and hollow trunks, because these elements support pollinator populations.

The plant species will be selected to ensure staggered flowering throughout the year, which will result in an ongoing production of nectar and pollen. The project will introduce native plant species, which include Neem, Karanj, Mahua, Palash, Bottle Brush, Jamun and Siris.

Implementation plan

The NHAI will identify appropriate areas along National Highways and unoccupied land sections, which will be used to construct these corridors. The project will establish clusters of flowering trees that will be planted at intervals between 500 meters and 1 kilometre. This spacing matches the typical foraging range of honeybees and wild bees.

The NHAI plans to construct three pollinator corridors, which will connect different regions of India throughout 2026-27. The National Highways will benefit from tree planting, resulting in 40 lakh trees being planted during this period, and 60 per cent of these trees will support the Bee Corridor project.

Benefits of the initiative

The Bee Corridor initiative is expected to:

• Enhance pollinator populations by providing food and shelter.
• Support agriculture and horticulture by improving pollination services.
• Help National Highways achieve better ecological balance through this program.
• Promote sustainable infrastructure development through environmentally friendly methods.

NHAI’s commitment to sustainable and eco-friendly highways

NHAI uses ecological plantations beside highways to develop green spaces that create environmental and community advantages. This project shows how infrastructure planning increasingly prefers solutions that use natural resources while demonstrating how development projects can protect environmental resources.

NHAI uses this project to demonstrate its dedication to developing National Highways in an environmentally sustainable and ecologically responsible manner.

The organization protects vital ecological functions through its efforts to establish bee-friendly plants and preserve pollinator habitats, which support environmental sustainability.

The Bee Corridor project creates an essential pathway between infrastructure expansion and nature protection, enabling India to develop environmentally friendly and sustainable highway systems.