Green Highways (Plantation, Transplantation, Beautification & Maintenance) Policy, 2015.

It was launched in 2015 to promote greening of National Highways corridors in India. Its key features are:

1. Promoting greening and development eco-friendly National Highway corridors across the country with participation of farmers, private sector and government institutions including Forest Department.
2. Objective is to reduce the impact of air pollution and dust by planting trees and shrubs along the National Highways.
3. Stake holders: Contracts for greening highways will be given to NGOs, agencies, private companies and government organisations. These stakeholders will be responsible for the survival and health of trees.
4. There will be strong monitoring mechanism in place by using ISRO’s Bhuvan and GAGAN satellite systems. Every planted tree will be counted and auditing will be done.
5. Every year 1 per cent of the total cost of highway projects will go the Green Highways Fund.

National Road Safety Policy, 2017

The Government has approved a National Road Safety Policy. This Policy outlines various policy measures such as promoting awareness, encouraging safer road infrastructure including application of intelligent transport, enforcement of safety laws trauma care etc.

1. Raise Awareness about Road Safety Issues.
2. Establish a Road Safety Information Database. The Government will provide assistance to local bodies, Union Territories and States to improve the quality of crash investigation and of data collection, transmission and analysis, through a National Road Safety Information System.
3. Ensure Safer Road Infrastructure. Continuing application of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) under a national framework to establish a safe and efficient transport system will be encouraged.
4. Safer Vehicles. The Government will take steps to ensure that safety features are built in at the stage of design, manufacture, usage, operation and maintenance of both motorized and non-motorized vehicles in line with international standards and practices in order to minimize adverse safety and environmental effects of vehicle operation on road users (including pedestrians and bicyclists) and infrastructure.
5. Safer Drivers. The Government will strengthen the system of driver licensing and training to improve the competence and capability of drivers.
6. Safety of Vulnerable Road Users. The design and construction of all road facilities (rural and urban) will take into account the needs of non-motorized transport and the vulnerable and physically challenged in an appropriate manner.
7. Road Traffic Safety Education and Training. Road safety knowledge and awareness will be created amongst the population through education, training and publicity campaigns.
8. Enforcement of Safety Laws. The Government will actively encourage the establishment and strengthening of highway Patrolling on National and State Highways in cooperation with State Governments and Union Territories as appropriate.
9. Emergency Medical Services for Road Accidents. The Government will strive to ensure that all persons involved in road accidents benefit from speedy and effective trauma care and management.
10. HRD & Research for Road Safety. The Government will encourage increased activity in programmes of road safety research by identifying priority areas, funding research in those areas adequately and establishing centers of excellence in research and academic institutions.
11. Strengthening Enabling Legal, Institutional and Financial Environment for Road Safety.
12. Implementation Strategy. The Government has decided to establish a dedicated agency called National Road Safety and Traffic Management Board (NRSTMB) to oversee the issues related to road safety and evolve effective strategies for implementation of the Road Safety Policy.