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Authorities in Gurugram have dismantled two farmhouses and a concrete wall spread over about 26 acres in the Raisina hill area of the Aravali range after identifying fresh unauthorised construction activity in the ecologically sensitive zone, officials said on Monday. The demolition, carried out by the forest department, followed a survey that found extensive concretisation, vegetation clearance and the use of earthmovers without statutory permissions on land protected under the Aravali Notification as uncultivable hill terrain. The action underscores ongoing enforcement to protect the fragile landscape from illegal encroachments and construction, which violate provisions of the Punjab Land Preservation Act and environmental safeguards. Previous directives from tribunals and courts have called for removal of unauthorised structures across the Aravalis.
Authorities in the Gurugram district have undertaken a fresh enforcement action to remove illegal structures in a protected part of the Aravali range, demolishing two illegally constructed farmhouses and a concrete wall spread over around 26 acres in the Raisina hill area, officials stated earlier this week. Advertisement
The demolition operation was carried out by the forest department after a field inspection revealed ongoing unauthorised construction activity in the ecologically sensitive area, which has been notified as gair mumkin pahad (uncultivable hill) under environmental protection orders. The inspections found significant concretisation and earthmoving equipment being used without the requisite approvals, prompting officials to act to prevent further degradation of the landscape.
The Raisina hill area forms part of the broader Aravali range in Gurugram, a region that has been subject to repeated enforcement actions due to rampant illegal construction and encroachments on forest and protected lands. Authorities and environmental groups have long highlighted concerns that farmhouses, boundary walls, roads and other unauthorised structures undermine the natural ecology and drainage patterns of the hills.
The Aravali range is governed by strict protections under the Punjab Land Preservation Act, 1900, and forest conservation laws, which prohibit non-forest activities, including construction, without prior statutory clearances. Past judicial directives, including orders by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and other courts, have mandated that structures in protected areas be removed and regular monitoring be instituted to minimise further encroachments.
Officials noted that despite repeated demolition drives in recent years, new violations continue to emerge across the Aravali belt, leading to periodic enforcement efforts. The latest action in Raisina hill reinforces the authorities commitment to curbing illegal development in protected zones and preserving the ecological integrity of the landscape.
Environmentalists have welcomed such measures but emphasised the need for sustained vigilance, citing continued reports of unauthorised construction and land modification despite earlier clearances. They argue that regular surveys, combined with swift enforcement, are essential to uphold legal protections and avert long-term damage to forest corridors and biodiversity in the NCR's green belts.
The Raisina hill demolition follows other enforcement initiatives across Haryana's Aravali region, including previous razing of boundaries and removal of structures across sizeable tracts of protected land, as authorities seek to comply with longstanding tribunal and court directives to restore eco-sensitive zones.
Overall, the clearance of illegal farmhouses and associated structures highlights ongoing tensions between development pressures and environmental regulation in rapidly urbanising districts like Gurugram, where protecting fragile ecological zones remains a policy and enforcement priority.
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