The Punjab and Haryana high court would take up a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the plan to axe approximately 5,000 trees for the tricity ring road project of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) between the junction at NH-7 (Zirakpur-Patiala) and NH-5 junction (Zirakpur-Parwanoo) in Panchkula.
“The project will result in the felling of over 2,000 trees from notified forest land in Punjab, more than 2,200 trees from the Panchkula Golf Course and approximately 1,000 trees from Sector-1A Panchkula and other green belts. These trees are predominantly 20-30 years old and constitute established ecological assets performing vital ecosystem services,” says the PIL filed by 21 odd residents of the tricity demanding that the NHAI be directed to re-align the project to preserve the thousands of trees that are at stake.
Senior advocate Anand Chhibbar on Tuesday requested the HC to list the petition on urgent basis, a demand, acceded to by the court and ordered listing of the case for tomorrow. The planned six-lane stretch will be constructed on the PR-7 road and pass through several villages in Zirakpur, including Nagla, Sanauli, Kishanpura and Gazipur, then along the Ghaggar river near Peer Muchalla, forest area and Panchkula Golf Course. From there, it will traverse Sectors 20, 21, etc. in Panchkula before connecting to the Kalka highway near Chandimandir Toll Plaza.
The ring road project is estimated to cost ₹1,878 crore, with construction expected to start by September and completion expected within two years. The petition sought a stay on tendering process and execution of the project. No subsequent judicial relief or monetary compensation can restore decades-old forest ecosystems, it said.
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