State Highways begins tree plantation drive along key stretches in Vellore

State Highways Department in Vellore district plants native saplings on key roads to increase green cover, monitored by officials.

The State Highways Department has begun the planting of native saplings on “missing spots” along key roads in Vellore district to increase the green cover.

State Highways officials said that missing spots are locations on both sides of the main roads where trees once existed.

Over the years, most of them fell, were damaged or even uprooted due to natural calamities. However, they were not replaced with new ones.

The initiative is aimed at bridging the vacuum thus created on key stretches in the district.

“Along with local panchayat staff, field-level officials have identified such missing spots on key routes in the district to plant saplings. The initiative will focus on those trees damaged mainly due to rain and floods,” said an official.

At present, Vellore has a total road length of 948 km. The saplings are being planted on about 230 km of the stretches, which come under State Highways.

Some of the key roads include Abdullapuram-Alangayam Road (41.6 km), Nelvoy-Pallikonda Road (19.2 km) and Vallam-Ozhur Road (28 km).