Chandigarh, 3 March, 2025 — The demolition of a wall at Chandigarh’s iconic Rock Garden for a road-widening and parking project has sparked public outrage, with questions emerging over procedural lapses.
It has now come to light that the UT engineering department awarded the project’s tender on December 24, 2024—weeks before the green ministry granted approval for diverting forest land on January 16, 2025.
Demolition work began on February 22, triggering protests from residents and activists. In response, the UT administration now claims the wall was not an integral part of Rock Garden but merely enclosed adjacent forest land not included in Nek Chand’s original design.
RK Garg, a core member of the “Saving Chandigarh” group, questioned how the tender was floated before securing environmental clearance. “Instead of covering up the issue, the UT administration should put all facts in the public domain to ensure transparency,” he said.
Approval Timeline Raises Questions
On January 16, the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change approved the diversion of 0.0272 hectares and 0.2159 hectares of reserve forest land near Rock Garden and Punjab and Haryana High Court.
A month later, on February 17, the UT forest and wildlife department permitted the axing of 50 trees in the area.
Despite official claims that the tender was issued for unrelated construction, documents reveal it explicitly mentioned modifying Rock Garden’s corner, widening the road from the T-Point at Uttar Marg to the high court, and constructing a multilevel parking facility in Sector 1.
The ₹1.66 crore contract, awarded to a Panchkula-based firm, was initially tendered at ₹2.16 crore. Five agencies had applied, but four were disqualified during the financial bid.
Balancing Traffic and Cultural Preservation
The UT administration argues that shifting the compound wall near Phase 3 of Rock Garden is essential for easing congestion around the high court.
“The wall will be relocated, and a new one replicating the original design will be built to preserve Rock Garden’s aesthetics,” a senior official stated.
The controversy has reignited debate over balancing urban development with Chandigarh’s cultural heritage, as protests against the demolition continue.
