More than 38,000 herbal and Ayurvedic plants of 30 species like Peepal, Neem, Tulsi, Giloy, Ashwagandha, Mentha, Lemon Grass, Bhringraj, Mui, Aonla, Brahmi, Tulsi, Anantmul, Gwarpath, Turmeric and other Ayurvedic and herbal plants have been planted alongside roads.

 

These have been planted on both sides of the roads to purify the air and reduce pollution.

 

As the project was one of the priorities of the chief minister, the PWD has completed the project within the stipulated time and one road each in the districts of the 18 divisions of the state has been developed into herbal roads.

 

Every district has a minimum of two such roads.

 

These plants will provide raw material for the medicines and will also help in curbing the erosion of land.

 

PWD principal secretary, Nitin Gokaran said that these herbal plants will also help in coping with communicable deceases and strengthening the immunity of those travelling via these herbal roads.

 

He stressed that this scheme will help both development and also ensue the beautification of the area and bring medicinal benefits along with promoting bio diversity.

 

"While the Yogi government is effectively carrying out its battle against Covid-19 and has maintained the highest recovery rate (87 percent) in the country, it has also prepared itself to confront the challenges of the future," Gokaran said.

 

Under the project, in which approximately 800 km of roads were developed into herbal roads, has been completed under the stipulated time by the PWD and at no extra cost.

 

According to PWD officials, the project was completed with the available resources and a team of the PWD staff is being trained to prepare the plants and take care of the plants that have already been planted alongside the herbal roads.

 

Some of the major roads that have been turned into herbal roads include the Chandrika Devi-BKT Kumharanwa Marg, the Gorakhpur-Deoria bypass, Prayagraj-Mirzapur road, Agra-Achnera road, Aligarh-Sidharpur road, Kaptanganj-Maharajganj road, Panchkosi Marg in Ayodhya, Gonda-Bahraich road, Jhansi-Unnao road and Moradabad-Lucknow highway.