The draft also proposes allowing national permit holders to obtain authorisation for up to five years instead of renewing it every year. While the annual fee would remain 16,500 rupees, the five-year authorisation would cost 82,500 rupees. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has invited objections and suggestions for 30 days from the notification’s public release.

Under this agreement, THDCIL will act as the consultant to evaluate landslide-susceptible zones and design site-specific stabilization measures for chronic locations along National Highways in Himachal Pradesh. The assignment involves preparing comprehensive engineering designs, technical reports, and conducting site monitoring during project execution while deploying a combination of modern flexible treatments and conventional stabilization methods. THDCIL already provides similar high-level consultancy services across multiple states—including Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mizoram, and Jammu and Kashmir—as well as for key holy pilgrimage routes such as the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi and Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Boards.

Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said that the initiative aims to create pathways for long-term financial independence and social empowerment. Project Saksham operates through a network of 12 training centres across the country, providing access to underserved communities to industry-relevant skills and pathways into the formal workforce.

The initiative has trained over six thousand youth, with more than four thousand successfully placed across various sectors. Over 80 percent of the beneficiaries are women, underscoring the program’s strong emphasis on gender-led empowerment. The Ministry said that Project Saksham is anchored in the belief that communities residing along the National Highways, in particular rural women, should directly benefit from the economic opportunities generated by infrastructure expansion.

In the first phase, 17 land parcels covering over 62.8 hectares across multiple states have been identified, with plans to plant around 67,462 medicinal trees. Nearly 36 species, including neem, amla, jamun, and imli, will be planted at key locations such as toll plazas, interchanges, and wayside amenities to enhance visibility and public awareness.

The project, supported by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, also earmarks about 188 hectares for future plantation. By focusing on medicinal plants, the initiative aligns with the government’s push for sustainability and traditional medicine, positioning these green spaces as living repositories of India’s rich medicinal heritage.

While addressing the CSIR Technology Transfer Ceremony in New Delhi, the Minister congratulated CSIR on this historic milestone. Mr Gadkari said that the initiative will help in reducing pollution from crop residue burning. The Minister said that bio-bitumen is a transformative step towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

Speaking on this occasion, Science and Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said that by achieving this milestone, India has entered into a new era of clean and green highways. He said that the initiative will also aid the Waste to Wealth mission and support the country’s vision of Atma Nirbhar Bharat.