Article:
India’s National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has introduced a mobile application, named ‘Harit Path’, to aid in the creation of green highways throughout the country. The app is aimed at monitoring various factors such as location, growth, species details, maintenance activities, targets, and achievements pertaining to each individual plant.
The Functionality of Harit Path
The goal of the Harit Path mobile application is to monitor multiple aspects of plant life along the national highways. Specifically, it focuses on recording the location, growth, and species information of every plant. By tracking critical details like maintenance activities and growth targets, the app aims to ensure the success of the green highway initiative.
Data Monitoring and Accountability
Harit Path’s scope extends into data monitoring, utilizing captured images and corresponding data to track plant health. This data is to be updated quarterly, and uploaded onto NHAI’s Artificial Intelligence powered Big Data Analytics platform — Data Lake. Apart from being a tool for monitoring, the app also plays a significant role in enforcing accountability. Highway contractors are liable for the proper upkeep and maintenance of the plantation areas, and they are required to replace any missing or dead plants, ensuring the continuous growth of India’s green highways.
Performance-linked Payment System
A unique attribute of the app is its monetization strategy, where the remuneration to contractors is directly tied to the performance and growth of the plants. By linking financial rewards to the health and success of the vegetation, NHAI aims to incentivize optimal maintenance activities and thereby increase the likelihood of successful outcomes.
Harit Bharat Sankalp Initiative
In addition to the launch of Harit Path, NHAI recently commemorated its 25 years of service with the ‘Harit Bharat Sankalp’ initiative. It is a nationwide plantation drive, which saw the NHAI successfully planting over 2.5 million plants in 25 days, from July 21st to August 15th, 2020. These plants were planted along various stretches of the National Highways, marking a significant milestone in the pursuit of developing green highways across India.
Through initiatives like Harit Path and Harit Bharat Sankalp, together with the use of advanced technologies such as AI and Big Data Analytics, NHAI is demonstrating its commitment to environmental care and sustainability. These programs embody a hopeful future for India’s highway landscapes, transforming them into lush green corridors, thereby aligning economic development with environmental conservation.
(Source: PIB)
