Authority: Supreme Court of India (Chief Justice Hon'ble Justice Joymalya Bagchi, Justice V. Mohana)

Order Date: 03-09-2026

Case Overview

  • The Suo Moto Writ Petition (Civil) No.8/2026 seeks protection of trees and green cover in the Taj Trapezium Zone (TPZ). Numerous Interlocutory Applications (IAs) were listed, filed by various government bodies and corporations requesting permission to fell trees for infrastructure projects.
  • Key parties include Uttar Pradesh State Bridge Corporation Ltd (UPSBC), Administrative Commandant of Mathura Cantonment, Mathura Vrindavan Development Authority, Rajasthan State Road Development & Construction Corp. Ltd, and Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Authority. The petitioner's counsel was Ms. Liz Mathew, Sr. Adv.
  • The Court examined compliance affidavits, CEC (Central Empowered Committee) reports, and field inspections before granting or rejecting each IA, imposing detailed compensatory plantation, fencing, maintenance, and penalty conditions.

Decisions on Specific IAs

1. IA No.1566/2023 – Rejected; applicant may re‑apply after amending the proposal (order dated 18.03.2025).

2. IA Nos.1572 & 1573/2023 (UPSBC) – Permission to fell a total of 313 trees (76 + 249) for a four‑lane rail over‑pass bridge and a Yamuna River bridge. Conditions:

  • Penalty of Rs 100,000 per extra tree.
  • Compensatory planting of 3,130 indigenous saplings (6‑8 ft) on 9.699 ha (Gata No. 38, Village Bichola, Agra) at applicant’s cost.
  • 4 ft chain‑link fence with 2 ft concrete footwall.
  • Maintenance of the plantation for ten years funded by the applicant.
  • Deposit of required funds before permission under the U.P. Protection of Trees Act, 1976.
  • Declaration of the 9.699 ha as “Protected Forest” within six months.
  • Monitoring by TTZ Authority Chairman and MoEFCC Regional Office.
  • CEC Report No. 58/2025 (10.11.2025) confirmed payment and successful planting; permission granted subject to conditions.

3. IA Nos.40499, 40488 & 30884/2025 (Mathura Cantt.) – Phase‑I of Key Location Plan: CEC Report No. 6/2026 (20.02.2026) recommends felling 44 trees. Conditions:

  • Plant at least 550 saplings, maintain for five years within the applicant’s campus.
  • Additional plantation of 1,000 saplings of specified native species (300 Ficus spp., 500 mixed Neem, Arjun, Butea, Zizyphus, Mango, 200 Bauhinia & Cassia) with five‑year maintenance.
  • Penalty of Rs 100,000 per extra tree.
  • Verification by Joint Inspection Committee; CEC to re‑verify compliance within four weeks.
  • IA Nos.40499 & 40488 listed for hearing on 02.11.2026; IA No.142702/2025 disposed as not pressed.

4. IA Nos.72045, 72048 & 72049/2024 (MVDA) – Permission to fell 195 trees and translocate 5 for a Tourist Facilitation Centre in Nandgaon, Mathura.

  • CEC Report No. 31/2025 (03.07.2025) conditions:
  • Compensatory planting of 2,375 indigenous saplings on 3.88 ha, maintained ten years.
  • Declaration of the 3.88 ha as protected forest under Indian Forest Act.
  • Penalty of Rs 100,000 per extra tree.
  • Additional requirement: deposit cost for planting 10,000 saplings (Pipal every 15 m, Krishna Kadamb every 5 m) before felling; applicant may seek reimbursement from NH Authority or State PWD.
  • Land not to be used for commercial activities even if not formally notified.
  • Court ordered deposit of the 10,000‑sapling cost and approved felling subject to conditions.

5. IA Nos.295707, 295719 & 295717/2024 (RSRDCC) – Request to fell 401 trees for widening BOT road Bharatpur–Bayana–Ganagapur–Bhadoti.

  • CEC Report No. 64/2025 (27.11.2025) recommends felling 236 trees (down from 418) with conditions:
  • Compensatory planting of 4,180 indigenous saplings on 4.5 ha (Gata site in Katariyapur, Bharatpur); area to be declared protected forest within six months.
  • Six‑foot chain‑link fence with two‑foot concrete base.
  • Funding for planting, fencing, and ten‑year maintenance to be deposited in interest‑bearing account before permission.
  • Post‑work roadside planting of indigenous species (list of 15 species) with saplings 8‑10 ft high.
  • Penalty of Rs 100,000 per extra tree.
  • Court directed applicant to comply with condition (a) and file compliance affidavit; CEC to reconsider request for 335 trees within six weeks.

6. IA Nos.99054 & 99055/2024 (UPSID) – Request to fell 555 trees and translocate 997 for Integrated Manufacturing Cluster in Agra.

  • CEC Reports No. 37/2025 (29.07.2025) and No. 60/2025 (10.11.2025) recommended permission subject to air‑pollution score compliance and compensatory afforestation.
  • Amicus Curiae cited Supreme Court order (23.07.2026) directing TTZ Authority to process 410 pending applications; CEC recommendations must align with Vision Document, Cumulative Impact Assessment, and NEERI report on non‑polluting industries.
  • TTZ Authority instructed to consider CEC reports and submit opinion within six weeks.

7. Other procedural IA entries – IA Nos.286697, 241846‑241848/2026, IA No.9820/2026 (withdrawn by Additional Solicitor General), and IA No.235067/2023 listed for future hearing on 02.11.2026.

Final Outcome

  • The Supreme Court granted permission to fell a total of 313 trees for UPSBC, 44 trees for Mathura Cantt. Phase‑I, 195 trees (plus 5 translocated) for MVDA, and conditionally approved further reductions in tree‑felling requests for Rajasthan road and industrial cluster projects, each subject to extensive compensatory afforestation, fencing, maintenance, and monetary penalties for non‑compliance. All applicants must file compliance affidavits and report to the CEC via the MIS module.

Topics: Tree Felling Approvals, Compensatory Afforestation, Environmental Compliance