Supreme Court Seeks Punjab's Proposal On Land For Compensatory Afforestation Amid NHAI Road Project Delays

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana voiced its concern over reduction of forest cover in Punjab and lack of implementation of the afforestation plan.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), said the High Court has issued continuing mandamus restraining felling of trees in Punjab, which is creating problem for construction of public roads.

"There cannot be a continuing mandamus. We are bound by a statutory requirement for compensatory afforestation. It is mandatory for felling of trees. Punjab is a border state and some roads are required to be constructed for strategic purposes," Mehta submitted.

The bench asked whether land is allocated for compensatory afforestation within five km of the area where the trees are felled.

Mehta submitted that sometimes the land is allocated, sometimes it is not and sometimes it cannot be allocated within a five km radius but trees are being planted.

He submitted that due to the High Court’s direction, public projects are being stalled.

The bench then directed the Punjab government to submit a proposal for providing adequate land for compensatory afforestation, where land is required for construction of roads.

The Apex Court directed the NHAI to serve the copy of the petition to the Punjab government and sought the state’s response.

On December 24, 2025, the High Court had voiced its concern over the depleting forest cover in Punjab and stayed the felling of trees for projects and other activities, an order which was modified from time-to-time.

It had noted that forest cover in Punjab is only 3.67 percent of the geographical area which is even less than the existing forest cover in Rajasthan (4.87 percent of geographical area).

The High Court had passed the order while hearing a PIL against felling of nearly 5,000 trees for the Zirakpur bypass project of the NHAI, connecting Zirakpur in Punjab to a toll plaza on the Chandigarh-Shimla highway in Haryana.