4 min readDehradunJul 19, 2026 12:20 PM IST
Following protests and an FIR against dozens, the Uttarakhand government has suspended felling of trees for the Bhaniyawala-Rishikesh road in Dehradun.
The National Highways Authority of India project proposes to widen the 19-km stretch near the airport and had earmarked 4,369 trees for felling.
The Chief Minister said that he has directed the Chief Secretary and officials to hold detailed consultations with all stakeholders, residents, public representatives, and experts before the resumption of tree-felling.
The NHAI had claimed that it deposited more than Rs 1.97 crore towards compensatory afforestation and its maintenance for the next ten years. And to facilitate compensatory afforestation, 40 hectares of non-forest land have been transferred by the State Government to the Forest Department for the development of new forests.
Protests
However, the episode has caused anger among the locals as the road passes through the Shivalik elephant reserve. People tried to disrupt the felling by mobilising in the area. On July 12, an FIR was registered against unknown individuals for allegedly “using criminal force to deter public servants from discharging their duty” and common intention.
As the momentum against the road-widening project increased, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday announced that the tree felling will be suspended till a consensus is reached with all the stakeholders. “Over the past few days, I have taken serious note of the concerns and suggestions expressed by numerous citizens, environmentalists, and residents regarding the Dehradun–Rishikesh Four/Six-Lane Project.
This project is an important infrastructure initiative of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Work on the project was being carried out in compliance with the directions of the Hon’ble High Court and after following all required statutory and environmental approvals and procedures,” he said. Keeping wildlife conservation in mind, the project also provides for a 3.5-kilometre-long elephant underpass and special culverts for the movement of smaller wildlife, he claimed.
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“Development is essential for us, but no decision will be taken by ignoring public sentiment, the environment, or local interests. With this objective, I have directed the Chief Secretary and the officials to once again hold detailed consultations with all stakeholders, residents, public representatives, and experts,” he said, adding that until a satisfactory consensus is reached among all stakeholders, the felling of trees under this project will remain suspended.
What NHAI says
The NHAI has stated that the project includes the construction of an elephant underpass and four dedicated elephant underpasses, together forming an elevated structure of approximately 3.5 kilometres, to ensure the safe movement of elephants and other large wildlife.
“In addition, six box culverts measuring 5×3 metres are being constructed for species such as tigers, leopards, jackals, jungle cats, porcupines, wild boars, sambar, and spotted deer. Thirteen pipe culverts with a diameter of 1,200 mm are also being developed for reptiles, amphibians, and other small wildlife. To further enhance wildlife safety, the project includes green guide hedges, sound barriers, anti-glare screens, wildlife warning signage, speed-calming measures, and designated no-horn zones. These measures are intended to reduce human-wildlife conflict, minimise road accidents, and safeguard natural wildlife habitats and movement corridors,” Saurabh Singh, Project Director at the NHAI, said.
A contempt petition filed before the High Court regarding a stay in the tree felling was dismissed.
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Environmentalists say the road widening project will impact the eighth, ninth and tenth corridors in the Shivalik Elephant reserve and parts of the elephant corridors. In 2020, amid talks of airport expansion, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF) had asked the Uttarakhand government to consider avoiding sensitive areas of the Shivalik Elephant Reserve while exploring land suitable to use for the expansion of Dehradun’s Jolly Grant Airport. The government had attempted to denotify the Shivalik Elephant reserve, which was stayed by the High Court.