Campaign partner: Samita Kaur and Priyanka Saini

Decision Makers

1. Gulab Chand Kataria, Governor of Punjab & Administrator of Chandigarh

2. Punjab and Haryana High Court Administration

3. Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee

4. Chandigarh Municipal Corporation

Demands:

1. Immediately halt further demolition and tree cutting at the Rock Garden

2. Conduct a transparent public consultation on the proposed project

3. Consider sustainable alternatives like shuttle buses, multi-level parking for congestion related issues

4. Provide citizens access to Detailed Project Report and Environment Impact Assessment  to ensure transparency and accountability

5. The art and installations that have been dismantled must be retrieved and incorporated into the restoration process. Restore the demolished portion of the Rock Garden wall using original materials, under expert supervision.
6. Carry out mandatory afforestation as per directives of the MoEF&CC
7. The afforestation process must involve civil society members, the Saving Chandigarh Group environmentalists and experts to ensure that the replanting is done ethically and effectively
8. Rock Garden’s preservation must involve genuine experts, like Anuj Saini, the son of Nek Chand Ji
9. Immediately conduct a tree census in Chandigarh
10. Ensure that the land converted from forest to non-forest use is utilised strictly for road widening as approved by the MoEF&CC, and not repurposed into parking spaces in violation of the clearance terms.
11. Carry out a traffic flow assessment to determine the actual time saved by the road widening project, and whether the environmental cost justifies the intervention.
12. Hold concerned officials from the Engineering, Forest, Urban Planning, and Heritage departments accountable for negligence. Particularly for the unauthorised dumping of debris in the green zone and the loss of original art pieces.
13. Recognise the dismantled art pieces created by Padma Shri Nek Chand ji as national heritage, and recover and reuse them in the restoration process wherever possible.
14. Introduce a citywide digital tree census or ‘tree Aadhaar’ system, similar to the model implemented in Jammu & Kashmir, to enhance transparency and tracking of Chandigarh’s urban green cover. 

Nek Chand’s iconic Rock Garden in Chandigarh, made entirely of recycled items, faces imminent threat. A part of its outer wall has already been demolished and hundreds of age-old trees have been felled to construct a parking lot and widen the road near the Punjab and Haryana High Court. With more trees slated to be cut in the coming few days, these activities are being carried out in compliance with a court directive. 

The Rock Garden, located in sector 1, is a symbol of creativity, sustainability and resilience for the people of Chandigarh, many of whom hold an emotional attachment to the beautiful garden. The property falls in the buffer zone and Sukhna Lake’s catchment area, which prohibits any new construction activity. In 2023, the Supreme Court recognised Sectors 1 to 30 as ‘Heritage Sectors’. What’s even more shocking is that there is no clear indication that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has approved this project, raising questions on transparency. 

The indiscriminate felling of hundreds of trees will not only enhance the heat-island effect, but also snatch the habitat of countless animals and birds that call the area their home. Cutting these trees will also make the city vulnerable to air pollution and rising temperatures. 

While the High Court ordered road expansion, it never mandated the demolition of the Rock Garden. The Administration rushed to clear land without exploring sustainable alternatives like multi-level parking or shuttle services. According to the administration, the wall is not being demolished but will be ‘shifted to accommodate road widening’. Our heritage cannot be erased overnight like this!

We demand an immediate halt to further demolition and tree felling. We are also calling on the Chandigarh Administration, the Punjab and Haryana High Court, and the Governor of Chandigarh to explore sustainable alternatives that do not destroy our heritage. The administration must hold a public consultation before any further action is taken and make the Detailed Project Report public.

Sources:

‘Our heritage under threat’: As Chandigarh’s Rock Garden wall demolished, residents join hands to protest

So sorry, Nek Chand: Citizens after Chandigarh’s Rock Garden outer wall demolished

'So sorry, Nek Chand': Public outrage to fore as Chandigarh's iconic Rock Garden faces demolition - The Tribune

No expansion now, Rock Garden in catchment area | Chandigarh News - Times of India