SC pauses Aravalli jungle safari: What is the eco-tourism project at Delhi’s doorstep, and why are critics opposed to it?

The petition, ‘Dr R P Balwan, IFS (Retd.) and Others versus State of Haryana & Others’, was filed on September 24 as an application as part of the ongoing forest conservation case, T N Godavarman Thirumulpad versus Union of India & Others (Writ Petition (C) No. 202 of 1995), through Advocate Shibani Ghosh.

The petitioners have challenged the Haryana government’s plan to develop a jungle safari park over 10,000 acres of land in the ecologically sensitive Aravalli hills, arguing that the project prioritises commercial interests over restoration of the region that is critical to the environmental health of Delhi-NCR.

The petitioners have described the Aravallis as “Delhi-NCR’s only barrier against desertification, a critical water recharge zone, pollution sink, climate regulator and wildlife habitat”.

What is the Aravalli Jungle Safari project?

The project, announced by the Haryana government then led by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar (who is now the Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs) in 2022, aims to create the “world’s largest safari park” in the Aravallis in the districts of Gurugram and Nuh in the southern corner of the state.

The project, inspired by global models such as the Sharjah Safari in the UAE, and Vantara and the Gir Sanctuary in Gujarat, has been envisioned as a blend of eco-tourism and conservation, and as a sprawling habitat for a diverse range of flora and fauna.

The curated safari park is proposed to be five times the size of the Sharjah park, which opened in February 2022 on an area of about 2000 acres. According to the Haryana government, the park would have “a large herpetarium (for reptiles and amphibians), aviary/ bird park, four zones for big cats, a large area for herbivores, an area for exotic animal birds, an underwater world, nature trails, visitors, tourism zones, botanical gardens, biomes, equatorial, tropical, coastal, desert, etc.”.

The safari park was a key promise in the BJP’s manifesto for the October 2024 Assembly election in Haryana.

While the declared intention of the project was to promote “green tourism” while preserving the biodiversity and historical heritage of the Aravallis, it triggered concerns over the potential impact on the fragile ecosystem of the region. Critics argued that the park could prioritise revenue over restoration in a region already under pressure from urbanisation and mining.

Where in the Aravallis is the proposed park located, and what has been planned to begin with?

The proposed project is centred near Sakatpur village in southern Gurgaon, and entry points have been planned at Sakatpur, near Sohna, along the Taudu-Sohna Road, and at Naurangpur. Four grand entry gates will facilitate visitor flow.

Phase 1 of the project, the preliminary design draft for which has just been finalised by the Haryana Forest Department, will cover 2,500 acres. It will have “international-level facilities”, including specialised enclosures for big cats, an aviary, a herpetarium, botanical gardens, nature trails, and an underwater world exhibit.

Local plant species will be planted to create habitat and foster a wildlife-friendly ecosystem. As part of the ‘Matri Van’ initiative – to develop a theme-based urban forest in an area of 750 acres along the Gurgaon-Faridabad Road – under the Aravalli Green Wall Project to reforest and restore the mountain range, about 20,000 trees are planned to be added to the region’s green cover.

For smooth execution and oversight, the government is establishing an Aravalli Foundation that will include international consultants for technical and environmental guidance.

Work on this initial phase is expected to begin soon. Three other phases will follow, though their timelines remain fluid.

The petitioners have submitted before the Supreme Court that the Aravalli Safari Project will involve the construction of several permanent structures including roads and buildings, animal cages, hotels, restaurants, and retail spaces, and facilities such as aquarium, cable car, canopy safari, tunnel walk, entertainment park, etc., all of which will result in large-scale cutting of trees.

How much will the safari park cost, and how will the project be funded?

The government has not provided an official estimate of the cost. However, experts believe the total investment could be in the range of Rs 500 crore to Rs 1,000 crore, given the scale at which the vast, immersive experience is being planned.

Details of funding sources are not available, and some officials have expressed concerns privately over the financial sustainability and revenue model of the project. The state is exploring public-private partnerships (PPPs) to distribute costs and leverage private expertise, sources had told The Indian Express earlier.

Who are the petitioners, and why are they opposed to the project?

R P Balwan: The lead petitioner is a retired officer of the Indian Forest Service, and a former Conservator of Forests, South Circle, Haryana. Balwan has worked extensively in the Aravalli region. He said the safari park will “sound the death knell” for the Aravalli ecosystem in Gurugram and Nuh – “a project designed with the main objective of maximising revenue generation and increasing commercial and recreational activities in an eco-sensitive region like the Aravallis is deeply flawed.”

Vinod Bhatia: Co-petitioner Bhatia, who retired as Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Haryana, said the project and associated infrastructure would hit the last functional Aravalli wildlife corridor in Haryana that connects  Mangar Bani grove in Faridabad to Asola wildlife sanctuary in Delhi.

“The Aravallis act as a critical wildlife habitat and corridor and a biodiversity hotspot with over 400 species of native trees, shrubs, grasses and herbs; over 200 native and migratory bird species, over 100 butterfly species, more than 15 reptile species, and over 15 mammal species… Several bird species found in the Aravallis including the areas under the project are endangered and vulnerable,” he said.

Dr Arvind Kumar Jha, who retired as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Maharashtra, said: “The zoo-safari enclosures and the fencing will obstruct the free movement of wildlife in the NCR Aravallis by creating an artificial boundary in the ecosystem, and cause fragmentation of the area. This will lead to more human-wildlife encounters and conflicts,…[and] lead to the spread of many zoonotic diseases…”

Dr Uma Shanker Singh, who retired as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Uttar Pradesh, said such safari-based parks are no different from zoos in which animals are “kept in large, fenced enclosures, denying them the freedom to roam vast natural habitats,…and exhibit natural behaviours”.

This, Singh said, leads to zoochosis, or psychological distress characterised by self-harming behaviours such as repetitive pacing, head-bobbing, self-mutilation and excessive grooming among animals.

Prakriti Srivastava, who retired as Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Kerala, pointed out that captive breeding fails to create a robust animal population due to situational stressors and high rates of inbreeding.

“The project will not further conservation goals, but instead create an entertainment facility, ironically built on natural forestland, with animals on display who will undergo immense suffering,” she said.

Neelam Ahluwalia, representing the sixth petitioner, People for Aravallis, said that allowing the jungle safari will be in violation of the ‘Precautionary Principle’ (which advocates caution and review before leaping into new innovations), as it will hasten ecological crisis in the area that is already reeling under water shortages.

And what is the government’s argument?

Proponents including Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini have hailed the project as a “vital step towards wildlife conservation” that will balance tourism with ecological restoration.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav has echoed this line, committed the central government’s support, and emphasised the use of native plants to build resilient habitats.

Former Chief Minister Khattar, during a visit to the site in August, underscored its potential role in “promoting tourism while preserving the natural beauty, biodiversity, and historical heritage of the Aravalli mountain range”.

The Aravallis, a crucial green lung that acts as a barrier against desertification, regulates groundwater, and supports unique biodiversity amid the rapid urban sprawl in Gurgaon, have long been the site of bruising environmental battles.

In February this year, a group of retired Indian Forest Service officers, which included the petitioners before the Supreme Court, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cautioning that interventions in eco-sensitive zones like the Aravallis must prioritise “conservation and restoration” over “destruction”. The retired officers flagged risks to groundwater recharge and fragile habitats, and argued that large-scale projects could exacerbate the loss of biodiversity.

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