The Centre Empowered Committee operating under the supervision of the Supreme Court has given final approval for the felling of 1,279 trees for the Bijwasan Rail Terminal project in Delhi’s Dwarka Sector 21, even though legal proceedings related to the area are still pending before the National Green Tribunal and the Supreme Court.
The decision clears the last major environmental hurdle for the Rail Land Development Authority, allowing it to begin critical external infrastructure work near the Indira Gandhi International Airport. The project includes approach roads, footpaths, metro connectivity, skywalks, rotary ramps and other facilities required for the new terminal.
The Rail Land Development Authority had initially sought permission to remove 1,293 trees. After reviewing the proposal, the committee reduced the number slightly to 1,279. As part of the mitigation plan, 496 trees will be transplanted within the Bijwasan site, while the remaining trees will be compensated through fresh plantations across Delhi, including an afforestation site between Narela and Badli railway stations in outer Delhi.
The approval has sparked strong opposition from environmental activists, who argue that the area forms part of the so-called Dwarka Forest, an urban green patch of around 110 to 120 acres that has naturally regenerated over decades. According to activists, the forest supports rich biodiversity, including more than 65 bird species, Nilgai, wild rabbits, jungle cats, reptiles and migratory birds.
Activist Naveen Solanki, who has been campaigning against the project since 2022, said the decision sends a disturbing message at a time when Delhi is facing severe environmental stress. He argued that construction plans could have been redesigned to allow decades-old trees to coexist with the railway project. Solanki warned that while tree cutting along the railway line has already begun, a much larger threat looms over the estimated 25,000 trees within the broader forest area.
Environmentalists have also highlighted the ecological role of the forest as an urban lung for Delhi. Environmentalist Tannuja Chauhan said the forest helps absorb pollution from the nearby airport, mitigate extreme heatwaves, recharge groundwater and reduce the impact of toxic air in a city where air quality levels often reach hazardous levels. She described the tree felling as environmental violence, particularly when Delhi’s air quality index has crossed extreme levels in recent winters.
Opponents of the project maintain that the area qualifies as a deemed forest due to its high tree density and have demanded either a redesign of the project or relocation of non-essential infrastructure to preserve the ecosystem. They argue that granting permission while the matter remains sub judice undermines environmental safeguards.
The Bijwasan Rail Terminal is intended to ease congestion at New Delhi Railway Station by serving as a major hub for trains heading towards western India, including Rajasthan and Gujarat. The terminal will feature multiple platforms and tracks, modern passenger facilities, and airport-style architecture. Its location near the Airport Express Metro Line, Dwarka ISBT and major road corridors is expected to improve multimodal connectivity for travellers.
The controversy surrounding the project dates back to 2008, when the land was transferred from the Delhi Development Authority to the Ministry of Railways. Activism intensified after reports of illegal tree felling emerged in 2022, leading to fines imposed on the Rail Land Development Authority. While the National Green Tribunal ruled in early 2024 that the site was not a protected forest, the Supreme Court later imposed an interim stay, citing concerns over its possible deemed forest status.
With the committee’s latest approval, limited tree removal for external works is set to proceed, even as the broader legal and environmental debate over the future of the Dwarka Forest continues.