Archive · 19 Jan 2026
Delhi Approves Tree Felling for Rail Project Amid Forest Controversy
The government has allowed cutting down 1,279 trees for a new train station in Delhi.
This station is meant to help reduce crowding at other busy stations.
However, environmentalists are upset because the trees are part of a special forest that helps clean the air and supports many animals.
They argue that the forest should be protected and the project should be redesigned to avoid harming it.
The government says they will move some trees and plant new ones to make up for the ones that are cut down.
The matter is still being discussed in court, but the government has decided to go ahead with the project.
The Centre Empowered Committee (CEC) approved the felling of 1,279 trees for the Bijwasan Rail Terminal project in Delhi's Dwarka Sector 21.
The project aims to decongest overburdened stations like New Delhi Railway Station and features 11 tracks, 7-8 platforms, and green building standards.
Mitigation measures include transplanting 496 trees and compensating the remaining 783 through new plantations across Delhi.
Activists and environmentalists argue that the forest is a critical 'urban lung' and should be preserved, with some calling for project redesign or relocation of non-core elements.
The decision comes despite ongoing legal challenges and a Supreme Court stay on tree felling and construction, with the next hearing noted around December 2024.
- Who
- Centre Empowered Committee (CEC), Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA), Activists (Naveen Solanki, Tannuja Chauhan)
- What
- Approval for felling 1,279 trees for Bijwasan Rail Terminal project in Delhi's Dwarka Sector 21
- When
- January 2026 (approval), ongoing legal proceedings
- Where
- Dwarka Sector 21, Delhi, India
- Why
- To proceed with critical external infrastructure works for the rail project, despite environmental concerns and ongoing legal challenges
- Trees Approved for Felling
- 1,279
- Trees to be Transplanted
- 496
- Trees to be Compensated
- 783
- Forest Area
- 110-120 acres
- Bird Species in Forest
- 65
- Project Location
- Dwarka Sector 21, Delhi
- Project Significance
- Decongest overburdened stations like New Delhi Railway Station
- Project Features
- 11 tracks, 7-8 platforms, airport-themed main building, green building standards