NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has proposed installing solar panels along national highways, beginning with a pilot on the under-construction Delhi–Dehradun Expressway. The move aligns with India’s targets of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 and Net Zero emissions by 2070.
The pilot will cover a 14.75 km stretch of NH-709B, including a 6.9km elevated section from Akshardham to DLF Ankur Vihar on Delhi–UP border.
Speaking at Delhi Dialogues, the interactive session organised by this newspaper, MoS Harsh Malhotra said the initiative could reshape how highways are built and powered. Based on the outcome, the government plans to replicate the model across highways in several states, he said.
Earlier this month, NHAI signed an MoU with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to collaborate on renewable energy solutions for highways, including solar, wind, hybrid power, green hydrogen, and storage systems. The partnership aims to make transport infra greener, he said.
The pilot project, estimated at Rs 1,479.22 crore, is expected to generate up to 7 MW of solar power. It will be commissioned within 18 months and run on a 25-year power agreement.
SECI has submitted a draft Request for Selection for developers, and a Joint Working Committee is being set up to monitor progress and chart a national rollout. The agency will conduct feasibility studies, manage bidding for renewable energy procurement, oversee project development and invest in EV charging infra. NHAI will make land available for the charging stations.
The 210km Delhi–Dehradun Expressway is set to open next month, Malhotra said. The access-controlled corridor, with a 100kmph speed limit, runs from Akshardham Temple through Baghpat, Baraut, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli and Saharanpur before ending in Dehradun.