New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has approved the construction of a six-lane stretch on the Ayodhya Bypass in Bhopal, while imposing a series of environmental safeguards, including large-scale compensatory afforestation and long-term monitoring obligations.
The case arose from a conflict between urban infrastructure expansion and environmental protection in the city. It centres on a major highway development project proposed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the environmental consequences associated with it.
The ruling came in a case filed by Nitin Saxena, who challenged the proposed felling of a large number of trees for the project and sought consideration of alternative alignments.
The tribunal, however, upheld the project’s validity, noting that it had undergone detailed technical scrutiny and complied with applicable laws and regulatory requirements.
Background of the project
The project involves widening an existing 16.5-kilometre stretch of the Ayodhya Bypass. NHAI argued that the development is essential to address increasing traffic congestion and improve connectivity between national highways in the region.
According to official submissions, current traffic levels on the stretch already exceed the designed capacity of the existing road and are projected to increase significantly by 2030. The project aims to reduce congestion, improve travel times and enhance road safety by addressing accident-prone locations and introducing service roads.
Tree felling and environmental concerns
A key issue in the case was the large number of trees that would be affected by the project. The original proposal involved felling nearly 10,000 trees. Following directions from a high-level centrally empowered committee (CEC), the project design was modified to reduce environmental impact.
As a result, the number of trees proposed to be cut was reduced to around 7,871 after measures such as narrowing the road median and removing certain infrastructure components were adopted.
These trees are primarily avenue plantations—roadside trees planted decades earlier—forming a continuous green corridor along the highway. Their removal represents a massive reduction in urban green cover. These are not newly planted saplings, but mature trees with established ecological functions.
The tribunal acknowledged that tree felling would have environmental implications, including the loss of green cover, shade and biodiversity. However, it observed that such impacts are often unavoidable in infrastructure projects and must be addressed through mitigation measures.
Compensatory measures and conditions
To offset environmental losses, the NGT directed NHAI to undertake extensive compensatory afforestation.
The authority has been mandated to plant approximately 80,000 saplings—more than 10 times the number of trees felled—and ensure their maintenance for a period of 15 years to guarantee long-term survival.
A technical committee comprising the Forest and Horticulture Departments, municipal authorities and pollution control bodies has been tasked with overseeing plantation efforts and long-term compliance.
Legal and regulatory findings
The NGT found that the project complied with statutory requirements, including Madhya Pradesh’s tree preservation laws. It also noted that the project does not require prior environmental clearance, as its length falls below the threshold specified in applicable central government notifications.
The tribunal relied on findings by expert bodies, including the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process and the CEC, which reviewed the project’s design, environmental impact and mitigation strategies.
On the issue of alternative routes, the tribunal accepted the authority’s argument that the existing alignment was preferable because land had already been acquired, and new alignments could result in greater environmental and social impact.
With the application disposed of, the Ayodhya Bypass project is set to move forward, subject to compliance with the conditions laid down by the tribunal.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: NGT orders Delhi Forest Dept to compile 5-yr data on illegal tree felling—‘sorry state’