IRC SP 93:2017 is the Indian Standard (IRC) for guidelines on requirements for environmental clearance for road projects. This IRC code provides comprehensive guidelines for the environmental clearance process for road projects, aligning with the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and associated rules. It details the various stages involved, from initial screening and scoping to the preparation of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Management Plans (EMP). The document emphasizes the importance of public consultation, mitigation measures for significant impacts on air, water, soil, biodiversity, and socio-economic aspects, and the role of regulatory bodies in granting clearance. Adherence to these guidelines is crucial for sustainable road development and compliance with environmental regulations.
This document outlines the necessary requirements and procedures for obtaining environmental clearance for road projects in India. It serves as a guide for project proponents, consultants, and regulatory authorities to ensure that environmental considerations are adequately addressed throughout the project lifecycle.
Key reference values — verify against the current code edition / project specification.
| Reference | Value | Clause |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | Environmental-clearance requirements for road projects | Scope |
| Trigger | Project category/length per EIA Notification | Regulatory |
| Process | Screening → scoping → EIA → public hearing → EC | Process |
| Studies | Air, noise, water, ecology, R&R | Scope |
| Read with | MoEF&CC EIA Notification / IRC SP 90 | Cross-ref |
IRC SP 93 (2017) is the Guidelines on Requirements for Environmental Clearance for Road Projects — the IRC's roadmap for engineers + project owners on how to obtain MoEFCC + State Pollution Control Board + Forest + Wildlife clearances for road projects. It complements the broader IRC:104:1988 (EIA methodology) by focusing on the regulatory pathway + documentation requirements that clearance applications must satisfy.
Use IRC SP 93 when you are: - Preparing Environmental Clearance (EC) application for a road project (any NH 4/6-lane upgrade, new alignment, bypass) - Compiling Form 1 + Pre-Feasibility Report for an EIA Notification 2006 + amendments approval - Designing Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for construction + operation phases - Doing public consultation + stakeholder engagement under Schedule 8 of EIA Notification - Filing Forest Clearance (FC) application for highway through forest land - Coordinating Wildlife Clearance for alignment through National Park / Sanctuary / Tiger Reserve - Doing Re-Engineering for Environmental Mitigation during DPR stage
What IRC SP 93 covers: - Categorisation of road projects (Category A / B / B1 / B2 under EIA Notification) - Mandatory clearances + their applicability - Documentation requirements (Form 1, Pre-FS Report, EIA Report, EMP) - Public consultation process + stakeholder roles - Forest clearance procedure (FC Act 1980 + amendments) - Wildlife clearance (NBWL approval for sanctuaries / parks) - Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance for coastal road projects - Eco-sensitive zone considerations (ESZ around protected areas) - Compensatory afforestation + Net Present Value (NPV) calculations - Construction-phase compliance + monitoring - Operations-phase environmental monitoring - Recent regulatory updates (post-2017 amendments are not in IRC SP 93 itself; supplement with current MoEFCC notifications)
Project categorisation under EIA Notification 2006 (Schedule 7): - Category A — appraisal by MoEFCC at Centre (Expert Appraisal Committee — EAC): - State / National Highway with > 100 km new construction OR > 30 km new bypass - Expressways - Hill roads > 5 ha forest land + > 30 km alignment - Category B — appraisal by State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA): - SH / district road with 30-100 km new construction - NH widening from 2 to 4-lane (no major realignment) - Category B1 — full EIA required at state level - Category B2 — only EMP required (smaller projects)
Other mandatory clearances (independent of EIA category): - Forest Clearance (FC): required when any forest land is involved (any quantum, even 0.1 ha). Two-stage process — Stage I (in-principle) + Stage II (final). - Wildlife Clearance: required when alignment passes within 10 km of National Park / Sanctuary OR through ESZ. NBWL (National Board for Wildlife) approval needed. - CRZ Clearance: for road projects in Coastal Regulation Zone (within 500 m of HTL in CRZ-1 / CRZ-2 / CRZ-3 areas). Coastal Zone Management Authority — state level. - Tribal Welfare Clearance: for projects in tribal areas under Forest Rights Act. - Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) approval: if alignment within 100 m of monument or in 100-300 m regulated zone. - Pollution Control Board clearance: Consent to Establish (CTE) + Consent to Operate (CTO) from State PCB for construction camps + plants (RMC / hot-mix / crushing).
Recent post-2017 amendments worth noting (engineer should supplement IRC SP 93 with current notifications): - 2020 amendments: Category boundary changes, EAC structure changes - 2022 amendments: faster track for some 4/6-laning + bypass projects - Special provisions for PMGSY rural roads (often exempt or simplified) - Special provisions for strategic / border roads (different process via Ministry of Defence)
EIA report contents (Schedule 4 of EIA Notification, expanded in IRC SP 93): 1. Executive Summary 2. Project Description (alignment, design, cost, time) 3. Baseline Environment (existing conditions): - Air quality: 1-3 month monitoring + annual data - Water quality: surface + groundwater testing - Noise: ambient measurements at sensitive receptors - Soil: classification + agricultural / forest use - Flora + fauna: detailed inventory + endangered-species identification - Socioeconomic: population, occupation, R&R requirements - Heritage / cultural: monument identification + protection plans - Land use: existing + projected - Climate: temperature, rainfall, wind, monsoon patterns 4. Impact Identification + Assessment 5. Mitigation Measures (alignment changes, technology choices, R&R, compensation) 6. Environmental Management Plan (EMP) with budget 7. Risk Assessment + Disaster Management Plan 8. Public Consultation + Disclosure Records 9. Compliance Monitoring Program 10. Cost-Benefit Analysis
Forest Clearance (FC) requirements: - Stage I (in-principle): - Forest land details (compartment, sub-compartment, GPS, area) - Forest type + density - Tree enumeration + species list - Wildlife / biodiversity inventory - Alignment justification (no alternative) - Land use plan including compensatory afforestation - Compensatory afforestation: - 1:1 (non-forest land) cost OR 1:2 (degraded forest land area) for compensatory afforestation - Non-forest land must be physically transferred to Forest Department - Net Present Value (NPV) of forest land: ₹4.38-15.95 lakh/ha (depending on density category) + escalations - Maintenance for 10+ years post-planting - Stage II (final approval): - Mutation of land to Forest Department complete - NPV paid - Compensation to displaced families paid - Construction phase EMP approved
Wildlife Clearance (NBWL) requirements: - Alignment map within 10 km of protected area - Wildlife survey results (camera trap + signs + reports) - Mitigation: wildlife crossing structures (underpasses, overpasses, eco-bridges) - Buffer zone treatment + speed limits - Underpass spacing per species movement patterns
EMP cost (typical): - 5-10 % of project cost for full EMP implementation - For NH 4/6-lane projects: ₹1-3 crore/km is typical range - For PMGSY rural: ₹10-30 lakh/km if forest involved
Public Consultation timeline: - Notification 60 days before hearing - Public hearing at district headquarters - Written submissions allowed; oral submissions recorded - All submissions to be addressed in EIA report - Multi-stage consultation: pre-FS, DPR, and pre-clearance
1. Forest land not flagged early. Designer assumes alignment is on revenue land; forest land discovered during cadastral survey at DPR stage; FC takes 12-24 months. Cadastral + forest land mapping at feasibility stage; build clearance time into project timeline. 2. Compensatory afforestation costs not budgeted. NPV is ₹4-15 lakh/ha + 1:1 land cost; for a 10 ha forest diversion, costs run ₹2-3 crore minimum. Budget early; project NPV jumps if discovered late. 3. Wildlife corridor not identified. Alignment crosses tiger / elephant / leopard movement corridor without crossing structure; project delayed at NBWL. Wildlife corridor maps (WII, state forest dept) consulted at alignment stage. 4. Public consultation skipped or token. Affected villages not formally consulted; local opposition emerges at construction; project halted by courts / NGT. Genuine multi-stage public consultation mandatory; document concerns + responses. 5. No alternative alignment analysis. Single alignment presented to EAC; appraisal flags 'no consideration of less-impactful options'; revision requested → delay. Standard practice: 3-5 alignment alternatives compared on environmental + economic terms. 6. EMP without budget. EMP document filed without monetary commitment; mitigation measures not implemented; compliance failure at construction stage. EMP must have line-item cost; project owner committed in writing. 7. Air + water + noise baseline missing. Monitoring done only 1 month at 1 location; EAC asks for multi-season + multi-location data. Plan baseline monitoring 6-12 months before clearance application. 8. Tree enumeration based on guesswork. Tree count under-stated; actual count at site differs significantly; compensatory afforestation under-budgeted; second-stage clearance delayed. Total enumeration by Forest Department; reconcile site count with FC application. 9. CRZ not considered for coastal road. Project within 500 m of HTL; CRZ clearance not obtained; project halted. CRZ classification + clearance per CRZ Notification 2019. 10. R&R cost under-estimated. Land Acquisition Act 2013 + R&R Rules require fair compensation + livelihood support; project compensation budget at old Acts; affected families litigate. Use 2013 Act compensation formula + escalation. 11. Construction-phase EMP not enforced. EMP approved but contractor doesn't implement; dust + noise complaints; pollution board interventions. EMP compliance must be part of contractor's BOQ; third-party monitoring; penalties. 12. No post-construction monitoring. EMP commits to 3-5 year post-construction monitoring; actual monitoring stops at handover. Builds asset-management framework around environmental indicators; report annually to MoEFCC. 13. Cumulative impact not assessed. Single project EIA fine, but combined with parallel projects (rail + highway + transmission line in same corridor); cumulative impact severe. Cumulative impact assessment increasingly required. 14. Notifications not updated. Designer references EIA Notification 2006 base text; misses 2020-2024 amendments; clearance based on outdated framework. Always reference latest amendments + supplements (MoEFCC publishes via website).
Road project — IRC SP 93 touchpoints:
1. Pre-feasibility: - Alignment screening for forest / wildlife / CRZ / heritage / ESZ issues - Initial categorisation under EIA Notification - Approximate clearance timeline + budget for inclusion in PFS 2. Feasibility study: - Detailed alignment options compared on environmental terms - Forest land mapping + tree census preliminary - Wildlife corridor screening - Preliminary public consultation (informal) - Risk register for environmental clearances 3. DPR + Form 1 submission: - Detailed environmental investigation (baseline air, water, noise, soil, flora, fauna) - Form 1 filed with MoEFCC/SEIAA per project category - Public consultation per Schedule 8 (notification + hearing + submissions) - EIA Report compiled + submitted - EMP with budget filed 4. Forest Clearance (in parallel with DPR): - Tree enumeration + species list - Forest land details + alternatives analysis - Compensatory afforestation land identified + NPV calculation - Stage I approval sought (typically 6-12 months) 5. Wildlife Clearance: if applicable, in parallel. 6. Public Consultation: - Notice + venue + 60-day notification - Hearing(s) at district HQ - Written + oral submissions documented - Responses incorporated in EIA Report 7. Appraisal + clearance: - EAC/SEIAA evaluation (multiple iterations possible) - Conditional clearance with mandatory measures - Final EC certificate with conditions 8. Forest Stage II + final: - Land mutated to Forest Department - NPV paid - Stage II clearance issued 9. CTE + CTO from PCB: - Pollution control consent for construction plants - Periodic renewal during construction 10. Construction: - EMP implementation - Continuous environmental monitoring (air, water, noise, soil) - Compliance reports to MoEFCC / SEIAA annually - Compliance with FC conditions (afforestation, R&R) 11. Pre-opening: - Environmental Audit (third party) - Compliance verification - Permission to commence operations 12. Operations: - 3-5 year post-construction environmental monitoring - Annual environmental audit + report - Long-term maintenance of mitigation measures (vegetation, drainage, wildlife crossings) - Continuing public engagement on emerging issues
IRC SP 93 is the single most-referenced environmental document in modern NH / SH / expressway projects in India — every NHAI EPC + HAM / BOT project, every state highway upgrade, and every long-corridor PMGSY project applies its framework.
| Parameter | IS Value | International | Source |
|---|---|---|---|