Would Like To See 1.60 Lakh Plants Actually Grow: SC To DDA On Plea To Fell Trees In Delhi Ridge
The CJI observed that no further permission for tree felling would be granted unless the court is satisfied with compliance with its previous directions.
By Sumit Saxena
Published : January 6, 2026 at 10:15 AM IST
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday said it would like to see that 1.60 lakh plants "actually grow" and made it clear that it will permit the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to fell additional trees in the Delhi Ridge area only after it is fully satisfied that its earlier directions on afforestation and ecological restoration have been complied with.
The matter came up before a bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi. The apex court was hearing an application filed by the DDA seeking permission to fell 473 trees for a road-widening project connecting to the Central Armed Police Forces Institute of Medical Sciences (CAPFIMS) here.
"We will not allow anything to happen unless we ourselves are satisfied with the compliance. Where is the compliance? What happened to 1.65 lakh trees and 18 pockets?" the CJI said, referring to the afforestation commitments made earlier.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and senior advocate Maninder Singh appeared for the DDA. Singh contended that 185 acres of land had been identified for afforestation and possession handed over. The bench was informed that the DDA is in the process of completing boundary walls around the identified land and expects the work to be completed by February 28.
The CJI asked the DDA, "What has been done at the spot so far, and what are you going to do…"
"And unless the actual plantation is done in these pockets, at least started. It is not a question of 10 or 1500 trees. One lakh sixty thousand plants you have to…ultimately, we have to ensure that the mortality rate is zero because if the plant dies, you have to replace it. So, we would like to see that one lakh sixty thousand plants actually grow there. As you correctly say, pipal, bargad, amla, amaltas…," said the CJI.
Mehta said the plants will be large once they grow. A counsel, amicus curiae in the matter, said in the application they have filed now, they propose cutting more trees, and, not just that, they want to translocate the saplings that have been planted now. Mehta said that it is covered by the court's order.
A counsel said the expert committee said 50% is the maximum survival rate. "Nowadays, you can take the entire plant, even the grown-up full tree, and you can successfully (transplant it)," observed the CJI.
Mehta said the road, which was built and the saplings which were there, will have to be shifted somewhere, otherwise the road cannot be built. The CJI said transplantation is altogether different because this depends upon the life and size of the tree.
Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan said this arose out of a contempt, and they had chopped a whole bunch of existing trees, and the apex court directed the DDA to give it a plan how it will restore it, and they gave a plan in which saplings were to be planted in that area, and “now, they want to remove those saplings also."
The CJI, in a lighter vein, remarked that the saplings were planted “out of fear of contempt”.
“We do not want these 18 pockets as AI-generated forests,” he added, stressing the need for genuine and verifiable ecological restoration.
The bench said it would first examine the progress of compliance before considering any further permissions. “We are not going to allow anything in a hurry," said the CJI.
The CJI orally observed that no further permission for tree felling would be granted unless the court is satisfied with compliance with its previous directions issued on May 28, 2025. Seeking time to place a comprehensive status report on record, Mehta requested an adjournment till Friday to obtain detailed instructions regarding the progress of compliance.
The matter is listed for further hearing on January 19.
Earlier, the apex court had mandated that every notification or order relating to afforestation, road construction, tree felling or any activity with potential ecological impact must explicitly mention the pendency of the proceedings before the apex court.
The apex court had also issued detailed directions concerning compensatory afforestation. The CAPFIMS is a major healthcare and educational project in Maidangarhi, Delhi, providing specialised medical services, nursing education, and paramedical training for personnel and families of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) like BSF, CRPF, CISF, etc. The DDA has also sought approval for the translocation of 2,519 saplings of trees and shrubs and diversion of 2.97 hectares of forest land for the proposed construction.
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