Aravalli road project: PWD minister to ask NHAI for realignment

“The proposal is to construct the road from near Ambience Mall. But our effort will also be to ensure the environment is not harmed in any way. I will be writing to the NHAI for re-alignment of this road, as its current alignment will adversely affect the environment,” he added.

NHAI officials said the authority is currently in the process of acquiring land for construction of the six-lane expressway, around 2 km of which will run through the park.

Singh added that keeping the “sentiments” of people in mind, and to preserve the environment, the department has also scrapped a 16 km-long road that was to be constructed between Bandhwari village and Damdama lake on Sohna Road, cutting through a section of the Aravalli forest. The project was to provide residents with an alternate route and reduce traffic snarls on Sohna Road and Gurgaon-Faridabad road.

Environmentalists, however, had expressed fear that the road, running in the vicinity of Mangar Bani — a sacred grove — would not only make wildlife in the area vulnerable, but would also open up the forest to problems such as encroachment, illegal logging, and the “threat of real estate”.

Assuaging such concerns, Singh said, “That road was proposed following requests of people. But if they no longer want the stretch, construction will not begin. Keeping in mind the sentiments of people, we have scrapped that project.”