HP High Court reiterates ban on forest road construction, tarring

The Himachal Pradesh High Court has reiterated its ban on constructing and tarring forest roads. An amicus curiae highlighted 55 illegally built roads in the Seraj constituency, raising concerns over violations of the Forest Conservation Act.

The Himachal Pradesh High Court has reiterated its directive prohibiting the construction and tarring of forest roads until further orders while hearing public interest litigations concerning road construction in ecologically fragile areas. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice G.S. Sandhawalia and Justice Bipin C Negi reiterated its August 17, 2026, order directing a halt to construction and tarring work on forest roads.

Violations and Ecological Concerns Flagged in Court

During the hearing, the amicus curiae submitted a chart identifying 55 roads in the Seraj Assembly constituency under the Nachan Forest Division that were allegedly constructed in violation of the Himachal Pradesh Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. The chart reportedly indicated that, in most cases, roads were constructed even though the user agencies' proposals had not yet been received, raising concerns about compliance with forest conservation requirements.

The court was also informed that permissions had allegedly been granted under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, in circumstances that apparently did not serve the interests of forest dwellers or forest conservation.

The amicus curiae also raised concerns over the presence of 16 helipads in the Seraj area, pointing out that such facilities in forest areas could disturb wildlife and calling for an assessment of their environmental impact.

The proceedings also highlighted the alleged large-scale felling of green trees for road construction, raising concerns over the ecological impact of infrastructure development in the region's fragile forest areas.

The court reiterated that no construction or tarring of forest roads would be undertaken until further orders. The matter has been listed for further hearing on December 2, 2026.

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