NHAI, Forest Department efforts provide Pichavaram another 25 hectares of mangroves
India’s National Highways Authority and the Forest Department have jointly planted mangroves to expand the Pichavaram forest by roughly 25 hectares. The effort compensates for about 15 square metres of mangroves cleared in Marakkanam during a road‑widening project. Officials say the new planting aims to restore coastal ecology, support local biodiversity and improve livelihoods of nearby fishing communities.