Green Light for Supreme Court Expansion: Trees to be Transplanted

The Delhi High Court allowed CPWD to transplant 26 trees for Supreme Court expansion. Sixteen trees will line the garden's periphery, and the rest near administrative buildings. CPWD also planted 260 trees in Sundar Nursery. The court set conditions for tree care and required regular updates.

The Delhi High Court has granted permission to the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) to transplant 26 trees as part of the Supreme Court building's expansion project. This decision is significant as it facilitates the development of additional courtrooms, including a constitutional court, and additional facilities for judges and lawyers.

Justice Jasmeet Singh, presiding over the matter, specified that 16 of the trees would be relocated to the garden's periphery, while the remaining trees would be positioned near the administrative building complex. Additionally, the CPWD committed to a compensatory plantation of 260 trees in Sundar Nursery.

The court's decision imposes certain conditions: a responsible CPWD officer must file an affidavit detailing the transplantation status and survival rates of both the transplanted and compensatorily planted trees. Photographic evidence of the transplanted trees is required for review, and yearly scientific pruning will ensure their healthy growth. Furthermore, the department must explore additional planting opportunities along the Supreme Court's access road.

(With inputs from agencies.)