Context: Recently, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ISRO’s National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) to develop and report a ‘Green Cover Index’ for the extensive network of the Indian National Highways.

About the Memorandum of Understanding

• It is a 3-year partnership that aims to leverage advanced technologies and satellite imagery to assess and enhance the greenery along the extensive network of National Highways in India.

• Objective: Develop and report a "Green Cover Index" for National Highways using advanced technologies and satellite imagery.

• NRSC will utilize emerging technologies for in-situ data collection.

• High-resolution satellite imagery will supplement plantation management and NHAI performance audits.

About the Green Cover Index

• The Green Cover Index is an innovative tool that will measure the extent of greenery along the vast network of India’s National Highways, aligning with the Green Highways Policy launched in 2015 to prioritize the greening of highway corridors.

• Alongside providing a measure of green cover, it will act as a tool for targeted interventions in areas lacking sufficient greenery. 

• It will feature performance audits by NHAI, creating a thorough system for monitoring and improvement of green cover along India’s highways.

• It will facilitate the comparison and ranking of various national highways for timely and periodic intervention. 

About the NRSC

• Mandate: Establishment of ground stations, generation of data products, and development of remote sensing applications.

• It is headquartered in Hyderabad, and operates under ISRO.

• NRSC's successful pilot projects for estimating green cover along National Highways serve as proof of concept.