New Delhi: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is moving ahead with a plan to set up solar panels along national highways, starting with a pilot project on the Delhi–Dehradun Expressway, which is currently under construction. The initiative supports India’s broader clean energy goals of reaching 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 and achieving Net Zero emissions by 2070, reports The New Indian Express.
The pilot will be implemented on a 14.75 km stretch of NH-709B, including a 6.9 km elevated section between Akshardham and DLF Ankur Vihar on the Delhi–Uttar Pradesh border.
Speaking at Delhi Dialogues, an interactive session organised by this newspaper, Minister of State Harsh Malhotra said the initiative has the potential to change the way highways are designed and powered. He added that, depending on the pilot’s outcome, the model could be extended to highways in several states.
Earlier this month, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) signed an MoU with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to work together on renewable energy solutions for highways, including solar, wind, hybrid power, green hydrogen and storage systems. Malhotra said the partnership aims to make transport infrastructure more sustainable.
The pilot project, with an estimated cost of ₹1,479.22 crore, is expected to generate up to 7 MW of solar power. It is planned to be commissioned within 18 months and will operate under a 25-year power agreement.
SECI has submitted a draft Request for Selection for developers, and a Joint Working Committee is being formed to track the project’s progress and plan a nationwide expansion. The agency will carry out feasibility studies, manage bidding for renewable power procurement, oversee project development and invest in electric vehicle charging facilities. NHAI will provide land for charging stations.
The 210 km Delhi–Dehradun Expressway is expected to open next month, Malhotra said. The access-controlled corridor, with a speed limit of 100 kmph, begins at the Akshardham Temple and passes through Baghpat, Baraut, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli and Saharanpur before reaching Dehradun.
