The CSIR-IIIM collaborated with National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to kickstart the “Lavender Hub Project” near the south end of the Banihal-Qazigund Road Tunnel (Navyug Tunnel) at Banihal today.The first-ever project aimed at beautifying the National Highway 44 and fostering sustainable development along this corridor was initiated earlier this year.

Dr Zabeer Ahmed, Director, CSIR-IIIM, and Ashok Kumar Jain, Advisor (Plantation and Clearances) from the Green Highways Division of NHAI, jointly inaugurated the project activities by planting lavender plants near Navyug Tunnel.Dr Zabeer highlighted that CSIR-IIIM’s efforts have uplifted the local economy by introducing lavender plantation, putting the region on the global map.He emphasized that this joint venture will not only develop the Banihal-Ramban stretch as a Lavender Hub but also establish a sustainable model for income generation.Ashok Kumar Jain stated that NHAI has been at the forefront of sustainable highway development and plantation aligned with local vegetation.He envisioned this project as a potential model for developing other highway stretches and involving local communities.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for this project was signed on March 18th, 2024, in the presence of the Union Minister of Science & Technology and Vice-President of CSIR.This joint project, costing Rs 283.80 Lacs with a 50:50 partnership between CSIR-IIIM and NHAI, aims to landscape about 200 kanals over the next five years.The project aims to transform the Banihal-Ramban Highway stretch into a lavender hub, serving as both a beautification effort and a sustainable model for post-plantation operations, including agri-entrepreneurship among local populations.In attendance were several other officers from CSIR-IIIM and NHAI, including Ravi Kesar (Retired IFS), Advisor Plantations, RO Jammu, Dr Dhiraj Vyas, Senior Principal Scientist and Head of Plant Sciences and Agrotechnology Division, and Rajinder Sharma, Technical Assistant.