Admn razes Rock Garden wall

The UT Administration demolished a section of the Rock Garden wall last night amid opposition by local residents and environmental activists. Videos of the wall and the entrance structure being pulled down at night surfaced on the social media soon after the demolition. The work continued till afternoon.

Residents have termed the administration’s plans to widen a road near the Rock Garden and create additional parking space for visitors to the High Court as an attack on the city’s cultural and ecological heritage.

The Saving Chandigarh group has pointed out major discrepancies in the parking space plans of the Administration. According to them, the drawings approved by the Department of Environment initially indicated that only a narrow strip of land aligned with the existing Rock Garden wall would be diverted from forest to non-forest use. However, the actual work at the site follows a different plan issued in October 2024 by the Chief Architect’s office, involving a significant land expansion and a straightened road, necessitating a large-scale demolition than what was sanctioned originally.

The activists also highlighted the absence of an environmental impact assessment (EIA), a legal requirement for such large-scale modifications. They have called for an immediate on-site survey by the Forest Department to assess the number of trees cut or damaged due to the road-widening work.

Environmentalists, architects and residents have expressed anguish over the alleged unilateral decision by the Administration. Samita Kaur, an environmentalist, said: “Many people are justifying this act by calling it the removal of ‘just a wall”. But why were alternative solutions not explored? This wall bore the signature of the great artist Nek Chand. It wasn’t just a structure — it was a piece of his creativity and legacy. Today, that artistic marvel has been reduced to rubble.”

Vikhyat Mahajana, another member of Saving Chandigarh, said, “The visionaries who designed Chandigarh are long gone. Now, we are left with officials who neither understand nor appreciate the city’s heritage. They have done nothing for this country and yet wield unchecked power, leading to reckless demolitions and environmental destruction in the name of development.”

Material collected by Nek Chand damaged

Activist RK Garg has raised concerns over the neglect of raw materials collected by Nek Chand for Phase III of the Rock Garden. In a letter to the Engineering Department, he highlighted that a large quantity of broken artistic pieces and tube lights lie scattered along the pathway near the entrance. Some of the material got buried under the rubble due to the ongoing construction work. Garg has urged the administration to shift this material to a secure facility.

Green loss

The demolition of the Rock Garden wall has led to significant environmental damage, as revealed in the Enumeration List of Trees report. This official inspection document identifies a total of 50 fully grown trees, including species such as leucaena leucocephala (lehsuniaya), prosopis juliflora (mesquite), senegalia catechu (khair) and vachellia nilotica (babool), which are being felled to make space for road-widening and additional parking. Environmental activists said this large-scale deforestation contradicted Chandigarh’s green vision and threatened biodiversity.

Demand for accountability

Members of an action group, called the citizens’ movement, have demanded accountability from both the Chief Architect and the Chief Engineer for their roles in approving and executing the demolition plans allegedly in violation of the city’s Master Plan, which explicitly protects green spaces.