NCRTC must comply with Delhi HC order on tree removal for RRTS project: NGT

The National Green Tribunal has said that the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) has to comply with the conditions imposed by the Delhi High Court for allowing permission to fell or transplant 36 trees in a South Delhi colony for constructing the Delhi-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS).

The Delhi-Meerut RRTS corridor is an 82.15 km semi-high-speed rail corridor which will connect the national capital, Ghaziabad and Meerut.

The green body made the observation while disposing of a plea that expressed apprehension about the possible environmental harm due to the uprooting of 40 big trees, of which 25 were fully grown, inside the premises of the Siddhartha Extension Pocket C here by the NCRTC as the trees were in the way of the RRTS track.

The plea was filed by the residents welfare association of the area.

In an order dated May 26, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava said, "The issue raised in this original application (OA) is covered by the order of the Delhi High Court (dated February 21, 2025). That apart, we also find that the transplantation and felling of 144 trees is being done by Respondent No. 1 (NCRTC) with due permission, and the requisite safeguards are already contained in the terms and conditions incorporated in the permission (by forest department) dated December 16, 2021."  "Hence, these conditions are required to be complied with by the NCRTC in addition to the directions issued by the Delhi High Court," said the bench also comprising judicial member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and expert members Afroz Ahamad and A Senthil Vel.

The tribunal noted that the NCRTC sought permission from the high court for transplanting or relocating 29 trees, along with the felling of seven trees (in total 36 trees) for stabling yard alignment and station yard facilities.

It noted that the corporation had been granted permission for felling or transplanting 144 trees, of which action was already taken for 108 trees by transplanting 99 and removing 17 trees. So, the plea was moved for only 36 trees, the tribunal said.

It noted the Delhi High Court had allowed the plea, subject to the condition of planting 1,440 indigenous variety trees, having a nursery life of three years, in a suitable area, besides an affidavit by a senior NCRTC officer undertaking responsibility for the upkeep, care and maintenance of the compensatory planted trees for the next 5 years.

The tribunal further noted that the high court had also sought a reply from the corporation about the total number of trees felled or transplanted to date in the corridor.

It said that the high court duly considered the status of the trees which were transplanted earlier, and also the compensatory afforestation taken up.

"Hence, the entire issue has already been considered by the Delhi High Court," the tribunal said, disposing of the plea.