Road construction through Aravallis put on hold

Gurugram: The Haryana government has officially announced that it has kept the project to build a road from Gurugram to Faridabad passing through the Aravallis is on hold. It is important to note that if the government wants it can go ahead in carrying out the development works along the stretch of Aravallis at Faridabad range that spreads around the area of 17,000 acres.

In a written reply to the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB), the Haryana government has recognised only the stretch of Aravallis along the Gurugram and Alwar region as a national conservation zone.

In its defence, officials highlight that this was the stated position even in 1992 when the initiative to protect Aravallis was undertaken. Lack of proper delineation has resulted in illegal mining, encroachment, diminishing green cover not only in Faridabad but also in the Gurugram region.

Despite being protected under the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), the 435-acre green cover area of Mangar Bani continues to bear the brunt with the mafia brazenly defying the laws and felling the trees.

Even as the matter of providing proper definition to Aravallis thus providing it with the status of the forested area remains pending in the apex court while cases of real estate developments on the green cover area of Aravallis continues to be witnessed in the city.