NEW DELHI: To ensure adequate greenery along newly developed highway stretches before their opening, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has made plantation compliance a prerequisite for issuance of the Provisional Certificate of Completion (PCC) or declaration of the Provisional Commercial Operation Date (PCOD) of highways.
Under the new guidelines issued by the Authority, plantation obligations will have to be substantially met before a newly constructed road can be certified as substantially completed and safe for commercial use. As per the guidelines, plantation must be carried out on at least 80% of the available right of way (RoW) of the highway designated for growing plants before issuance of PCC or PCOD. In addition, the saplings planted must have a minimum survival rate of 90% at the time of inspection.
The Authority has further linked plantation maintenance to payments during the operation and maintenance (O&M) period. Release of O&M or annuity payments, or assessment of maintenance compliance, will be contingent upon maintaining a minimum 90% survival rate throughout the O&M period.
According to the officials, the guidelines are expected to make highway concessionaires and contractors more accountable for maintaining greenery along the available RoW and ensuring that planted saplings survive before completion certification is granted.
“It has been observed during the review of various national highway (NH) projects that the development of plantations along the median and avenues, which is a mandatory contractual obligation, is often not accorded due importance at the time of recommending PCC or PCOD.
Plantation and landscaping are critical components for the environmental sustainability, aesthetics and overall completion of highway projects. To ensure strict compliance with the contractual mandates, the guidelines have been issued,” said officials.
The regional officers (ROs) will ensure that the plantation has been executed in accordance with the provisions of the contracts or concession agreement, standards prescribed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) or NHAI and the Green Highways Policy 2015.
“For the purpose of issuance of the PCC/PCOD, plantation work shall be considered to have achieved the prescribed level for compliance only if plantation has been carried out over 80% of the available RoW earmarked for plantation and the planted saplings exhibit a minimum 90% of the time of inspection. The independent engineers or authorities’ engineers shall specifically certify compliance with these requirements in the recommendations for issuance of the PCC/ PCOD,” read the guidelines.
Appropriate financial withholdings as provided under the contract or concession agreement shall continue until the balance plantation is completed and the plantation target is fully achieved, the NHAI guidelines further stated. The norms also mandate that any casualties among planted saplings be replaced with plants of commensurate age and growth to maintain uniformity.
Decision aimed at making contractors accountable
According to the officials, the guidelines are expected to make highway concessionaires and contractors more accountable for maintaining greenery along the available RoW and ensuring that planted saplings survive before completion certification is granted.