Uttarakhand HC stays felling of 3,300 trees for four road widening

The Uttarakhand High Court has temporarily stopped the cutting of 3,300 trees for a road widening project between Rishikesh and Bhaniyawala. The court has asked the state government to provide all necessary environmental clearances before proceeding.

A bench comprising Chief Justice G. Narendar and Justice Ashish Naithani issued the order while hearing a petition filed by Renu Paul, a Dehradun resident. The petitioner argued that the road widening would harm the environment and wildlife, as the stretch passes through an important elephant corridor.

In response, the court has directed the state government to submit all relevant environmental clearances, including approvals under the Forest Conservation Act, details of compensatory afforestation plans, and an environmental impact assessment report. The next hearing is on March 21.

The petitioner’s lawyer, Abhijay Negi, highlighted that the affected area has multiple elephant corridors, including the Shivalik Corridor, which spans 32 km in length and 23 km in width.

He stated that previous High Court interventions had protected the Shivalik Elephant Reserve and argued that a similar approach was necessary to prevent large-scale environmental damage.

Negi emphasised that the existing two-lane road is in good condition and doesn’t need widening. Instead of cutting thousands of trees, he suggested building a flyover to accommodate traffic while preserving the environment.

The proposed road passes through a biodiversity-rich region with thousands of Sal, Rohini, Kanjoo, and Amaltas trees. These trees provide clean air to Dehradun and habitat for elephants and other wildlife.

According to estimates, there are over 700 Sal and 900 Kanjoo trees on the affected stretch. Environmentalists and conservationists worry clearing this land for infrastructure could have long-term ecological consequences.

The cutting of trees has already started at 7 Mod in Rishikesh, an area that falls within an important elephant corridor. The move, aimed at reducing travel time to Dehradun by just 10 minutes, has sparked outrage among environmentalists and local residents. Many see it as a reckless decision that prioritizes minor convenience over the region’s rich biodiversity.

The felling of these trees adds to the larger deforestation concerns surrounding the road-widening project between Rishikesh and Bhaniyawala, which the Uttarakhand High Court has temporarily halted. Activists argue that such actions will have irreversible ecological consequences, further threatening wildlife habitats and increasing environmental degradation in the region

Anoop Nautiyal, founder of the Social Development for Communities foundation, welcomed the court's intervention. He stated, "Uttarakhand is a natural gift, a treasure of greenery. Protecting trees is essential for preserving the Himalayas and the environment. We demand a complete ban on tree cutting, as life without trees is unimaginable."

The court’s decision comes amid growing protests from local residents and environmental activists opposing the tree felling. Many argue the government should explore alternative solutions that don’t involve large-scale deforestation. The court has advised the authorities to consider such alternatives before making any final decisions.

All eyes are on the state government as they prepare to present their environmental reports and justifications for the project, with the case set for review on March 21. Until then, tree-cutting remains on hold.

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