‘The Real Battle Is Still Ahead’

The Supreme Court’s intervention to halt tree felling around Hyderabad’s KBR National Park has brought relief to activists, environmentalists and citizens who have spent weeks protesting against the ongoing destruction of green cover in one of the city’s most ecologically sensitive urban zones.

‘Eco-sensitive zone is the park’s protective buffer’

Kaajal Maheshwari, one of the petitioners in the case, says the stay order brought emotional relief after years of fighting to protect the park. “Tree felling was happening rampantly. So the stay order is a very important step to put that in check,” she says. “This is a small victory. The case is still pending”

According to Kaajal, the activists approached the Supreme Court after repeatedly getting deferred in the Telangana High Court, which then went on vacation while tree cutting continued on the ground.

Trees continued being axed meanwhile, so they had no choice but to approach the Supreme Court through a Special Leave Petition (SLP), she explains.

Kaajal points out that the Strategic Road Development Programme (SRDP), proposed during the previous BRS government, was later repackaged as the H-CITI plan. However, she alleges that while earlier stay orders were respected, this time tree felling continued despite legal protections being in place.

She argues that the reduction of the ESZ was not backed by scientific studies or proper environmental assessments and instead prioritised infrastructure expansion over ecology. “The eco-sensitive zone is not just a boundary line. It is the protective buffer that allows the ecosystem to survive,” she says. Kaajal also warns about the long-term ecological consequences of surrounding the park with flyovers and large-scale infrastructure. “We are surrounding the forest from all sides. It is like strangulating it.”

‘A partial relief’

Environimental and Social Justice activist Ruchith Asha Kamal describes the Supreme Court intervention as “partial relief.”

Unlike previous cases where the apex court took stronger suo motu action, he says this order has a limited scope - temporarily stopping tree felling until the High Court hears the matter.

Ruchith estimates that close to half the trees marked for felling may already have been cut, though no proper public tree census has been conducted. “It has been 18 days since the tree felling began and we started protesting. Officially, around 2,000 trees are expected to be cut for the project,” he says. “But our immediate priority now is ensuring no further tree cutting takes place and wait for further court hearings.”

He believes the issue extends far beyond one infrastructure project. “Constructing flyovers elsewhere in Hyderabad is a different question,” he says. “But building them around an ecologically sensitive zone like KBR requires a completely different approach.”

He also points to inconsistencies in urban planning and governance, questioning why environmentally sensitive areas are prioritised for rapid construction while other urban projects face delays.

‘We are not anti-development’

For many young protesters, the movement has also become about transparency and accountability in urban planning. Deepika Maari, a student pursuing psychology, English literature and journalism, says: “Trees were being cut rampantly at night while the city was asleep. It was very disturbing. Today, when we received the message that the tree felling had been halted, we felt extremely relieved and happy.” She adds: We are not anti-development. We are against cutting down trees in the name of development.”

Deepika argues that instead of spending nearly `930 crore on flyovers and underpasses, the government should invest in sustainable public transport and urban infrastructure. “Why not improve electric buses, public transport, drainage and roads?” she asks. “Banjara Hills and Jubilee Hills already flood badly during monsoons. Removing thousands of trees will only worsen the situation.”

‘We want people-centric mobility’

Activist Vijay Malangi echoed similar concerns in a video statement posted on social media after the Supreme Court order. “Flyovers are not a solution to traffic. We want sustainable, urban, people-centric mobility solutions. We do not want car-centric solutions.”

He called for investment in better buses, metro expansion, walkability and pedestrian infrastructure instead of what he described as “redundant flyovers and underpasses.” Malangi also urged the government to include environmentalists, wildlife experts, urban planners and citizens in decision-making before undertaking major infrastructure projects.

City at crossroads

KBR Park remains one of Hyderabad’s last significant urban forests — often described as one of the city’s “green lungs.” Environmentalists argue that reducing its eco-sensitive zone strips the protected area of ecological protection.

While the Supreme Court’s stay order has temporarily halted further tree felling, the broader legal battle is far from over. Until the next hearing, citizens and environmental activists say they will continue monitoring the ground situation and await further proceedings in the case.

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed tree felling in the eco-sensitive zone surrounding KBR National Park in Hyderabad, directing that no trees be cut within the 25–35 metre buffer around the protected forest until June 27th. KBR National Park, notified under Section 35 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, is among Hyderabad’s last significant urban forests. The petition described the park as one of the city’s principal green lungs and argued that a buffer of less than 30 metres in several stretches effectively deprives it of meaningful ecological protection. The plea also alleged procedural lapses, including the failure to consider objections raised by over 19,000 citizens, and claimed that the public hearing process was not properly conducted. SC has issued notices to the respondents, and the matter is pending further hearing.