Odisha Gets First Bee Corridor Along NH-16 As NHAI Pushes Pollinator-friendly Highways
According to NHAI officials, the Bee Corridor has been designed to restore and strengthen habitats for honeybees and other pollinating insects, which play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance and agricultural productivity. The initiative also reflects NHAI's growing emphasis on incorporating environmental sustainability into highway development
Bhubaneswar: In a first for Odisha, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has launched a Bee Corridor along the Puintola–Ichchapuram stretch of National Highway-16, marking a significant step towards integrating biodiversity conservation with highway infrastructure.
The initiative aims to create a pollinator-friendly ecosystem that supports honeybee populations, enhances biodiversity, and promotes sustainable, nature-based infrastructure development.
The corridor was inaugurated by NHAI's Regional Officer for Odisha, Pradeep Kumar Lal, in the presence of Bhubaneswar Project Implementation Unit (PIU) Project Director Suraj Kumar Singh. The project is being implemented in partnership with the concessionaire, Puintola Ichchapuram TOT Private Limited.
According to NHAI officials, the Bee Corridor has been designed to restore and strengthen habitats for honeybees and other pollinating insects, which play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance and agricultural productivity. The initiative also reflects NHAI's growing emphasis on incorporating environmental sustainability into highway development.
As part of the first phase, 345 saplings have been planted along the Tangi–Ichchapuram section of NH-16. The plantation includes carefully selected nectar- and pollen-rich species such as Jamun, Neem, Drumstick (Moringa), and Gulmohar, chosen to provide a reliable food source for pollinators while simultaneously enhancing roadside greenery.
Officials said the initiative will be expanded across Odisha in the coming months. Plantation activities have already begun in Sambalpur and Dhenkanal, with NHAI planning to plant nearly 20,000 flowering trees along highway stretches in Sambalpur, Berhampur, and Dhenkanal.
The next phase will feature a diverse mix of native and flowering species, including Neem, Karanj, Arjun, Kadamba, Jamun, Tamarind, and Kanchan. By ensuring staggered flowering throughout the year, the plantations are expected to provide a continuous source of nectar and pollen, creating a sustainable habitat for honeybees and other beneficial insects.
Once fully established, the Bee Corridor is expected to improve roadside biodiversity, increase green cover, and contribute to healthier ecosystems while demonstrating how transport infrastructure can be developed in harmony with environmental conservation. NHAI officials said the initiative could serve as a model for pollinator-friendly highway development in other parts of the country.
