Significant amount of residual lead was present in the leaves of old plants collected from both the sides of NH-157 at Kalinga ghat area. Higher accumulation of lead in perennial old plant leaves was observed. Young plants either showed no residual lead or the amount of lead if present was insignificant. No residual lead was observed in small herbs present on both the sides of the road. In other areas adjacent to the ghat area, no significant residual lead was noted. Significant decrease in total chlorophyll content was recorded in plant leaves situated on the roadsides of the ghat area when compared to plants collected from deep inside the forest area far away from freeways/highways. Significant decrease in total phaeophytin content was recorded in plant leaves situated on the roadsides of the ghat area when compared to plants collected from deep inside the forest area far away from freeways/highways like chlorophylls. Both the pigments followed the same trend. However, insignificant decrease or no change in carotenoid content was recorded in plant leaves collected from the plants available on the roadsides of the ghat area when compared to plants collected from deep inside the forest area far away from freeways/highways. The changes in the pigment content may not be due to lead only and the changes were probably due to the synergistic effect of lead along with other pollutants coming out as exhaust. The impact on pigment content was due to lead availability along with other gaseous exhaust coming out from small and heavy vehicles in air from automobiles exhausts and surface absorption of lead by plants from polluted air.