NGT gives nod to NHAI's Ayodhya Nagar Bypass Project in Madhya Pradesh

Paving the way for the Ayodhya Nagar Bypass Project in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has said there is no illegality in felling 7,871 trees for the proposed work as it has been duly approved by a centrally-empowered committee.

The green body was hearing a petition challenging the National Highways Authority of India's (NHAI) proposal to fell the trees for the proposed Asharam Tiraha-to-Ratnagiri Tiraha Ayodhya Bypass Project in Bhopal.

The plea had sought the cancellation of the project by considering an alternative route to avoid unnecessary felling of trees.

The 16.5-km road-development project entails the six-laning of both sides of the service road of the Ayodhya Bypass near the Ashram Tiraha on NH-46 till the Ratnagiri Tiraha on NH-146.

In an order dated May 20, made available on Thursday, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava, judicial member Sheo Kumar Singh and expert members A Senthil Vel and Sudhir Kumar Chaturvedi underlined that the project is of ''national importance'', connecting state highways and national highways.

It directed the authorities to complete the project ''within a time frame'' after due compliance with the environmental rules and state laws in accordance with the NHAI guidelines.

''Since the permission for the felling of the trees has been taken by the competent authority, which was duly approved by the centrally-empowered committee, thus, there is no illegality in the permission granted by the respondent/competent authority,'' the bench said.

It directed the authorities to comply with the Madhya Pradesh Vrakshon Ka Parirakshan Nagriya Kshetra Adhiniyam, saying if the number of trees required to be felled for any development projects is higher than that prescribed in the notification issued by the state government, the matter can be referred to the High Level Centrally Empowered Committee constituted by the state government.

''Rules with regard to the compensatory plantation, compulsory afforestation, maintenance, green highway policy, plantation, transplantation, beautification and maintenance policy must be complied with, ensuring the survival of the trees,'' the tribunal said.

It said the work of the compensatory plantation would be periodically monitored for 15 years by the technical committee, including members of the forest department, municipal corporation, horticulture department and the State Pollution Control Board.

''We accept the report submitted by the Centrally Empowered Committee and direct that the recommendations must be strictly observed by the respondents within a time frame,'' the tribunal said.

It directed the NHAI to submit a report regarding the total amount deposited with a particular authority or the forest department or the municipal corporation or tree officers in the state.

''Member Secretary, State Pollution Control Board, Madhya Pradesh is directed to collect the information with regard to the utilisation of this fund, which is deposited against the plantation or re-afforestation under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) fund or felling of trees deposited with the municipal corporation or social forestry department, and its utilisation with survival of the trees year-wise of last five years,'' the tribunal said.

The project earlier involved the felling of 9,946 trees. However, after a meeting of the centrally-empowered committee in September 2025, the NHAI was asked to rework its proposal and accordingly, the authority submitted an alternative plan.

The committee held that the felling of 7,871 trees was necessary for the project and from the perspective of road safety and considering the six-lane configuration, further reduction was not possible.

It had noted that of the trees proposed to be cut, 5,188 are timber trees (including teak, sheesham, saakhu, mahua, deodar, mango and neem) and 2,683 are non-timber trees (including bamboo, banana etc.).

The committee then recommended seeking permission for felling 7,871 trees for the development of the Ayodhya Nagar Bypass Project, subject to the conditions that in place of felling the 7,871 trees, the NHAI would ensure the plantation of more than 10 times, that is, 80,000 saplings and that if any tree of rare or threatened species was found, it had to be replaced.

According to the authorities concerned, the proposed project corridor is of ''vital importance'' as it links NH-146 and NH-46, shortens the travel time to Gwalior, Raisen, Vidisha, Jabalpur, Betul and Indore from and via Bhopal, lessens accidents by restricting the movement of commercial traffic in Bhopal, removes three accident blackspots, namely the Best-Price junction, the People's Mall junction and the Ratnagiri tiraha, and reduces congestion on the Ayodhya Bypass and in Bhopal city.

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