NGO slams NHAI for ‘blatant violations’ in highway projects before NGT

Dismissing NHAI’s compliance claims as “paper-based” and unverifiable, SP-CHETNA alleged absence of prior environmental clearance, invalid approvals, and non-compliance with the Green Highways Policy, 2015, which mandates compensatory tree plantation

The Society for Protection of Culture, Heritage, Environment, Traditions and Promotion of National Awareness (SP-CHETNA), an NGO, has filed a strong rejoinder to the National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) counter-affidavit before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), accusing the highways body of “blatant violations” in highway expansion projects.

The NGO also cited a Hindustan Times report dated January 16, 2026, stating that it “exposes serious and glaring discrepancies between the number of saplings claimed to have been planted and the saplings actually found on site under compensatory afforestation schemes undertaken for Urban Extension Road-2 (UER-2) (above). (HT Archive)

Dismissing NHAI’s compliance claims as “paper-based” and unverifiable, SP-CHETNA alleged absence of prior environmental clearance, invalid approvals, and non-compliance with the Green Highways Policy, 2015, which mandates compensatory tree plantation.

Quoting an NGT order from 2020, the NGO said: “The stand of the NHAI that the roads are constructed by concessioners and it is only their responsibility to comply with the mandate of law is patently untenable and shows indifference and breach of public trust and statutory duties. If the NHAI hires agents, the liability of the principal does not end.”

SP-CHETNA flagged unsigned tables, non-geo-tagged photographs and sparse plantation on the ground, despite NHAI’s claim of planting 90,350 saplings. The NGO also cited a Hindustan Times report dated January 16, 2026, stating that it “exposes serious and glaring discrepancies between the number of saplings claimed to have been planted and the saplings actually found on site under compensatory afforestation schemes undertaken for Urban Extension Road-2 (UER-2) and the Dwarka Expressway”.

The rejoinder urged the NGT to direct NHAI to submit duly signed and authenticated documents supported by credible and verifiable evidence, including geo-tagged photographs.

The applicant further sought appropriate action against NHAI if it failed to comply with the Tribunal’s directions.

SP-CHETNA also requested that NHAI be directed “to place on record complete, verifiable and site-specific details of the plantation carried out, including identification and location of the land bank, area-wise break-up, survival status, and geo-tagged photographic evidence in respect of the plantation of 90,350 saplings and 4,000 trees”.