The highway expansion designed to enhance connectivity and reduce travel times to Jolly Grant Airport and along the Char Dham route comes at a considerable ecological cost. The proposed project requires the indiscriminate felling of over 3,000 mature trees along the Bhaniyawala-Rishikesh stretch. This area, known as the "Saat Mod" or the "seven bends" forest, is not merely a collection of trees; it is a living, breathing ecosystem that sustains diverse flora and fauna.

The "Saat Mod" is a critical region serving as an active elephant corridor, facilitating the movement of these majestic creatures across their natural habitat. It acts as a crucial ecological buffer for the Rajaji Tiger Reserve, an irreplaceable natural heritage home to numerous endangered species. Disturbing this balance by extensive tree felling for road-widening projects not only endangers wildlife but also threatens the ecological health of the region, impacting both biodiversity and the local climate.

These mature trees have stood for decades, playing essential roles in carbon sequestration, oxygen production, and maintaining the hydrological balance of the area. Cutting them down for the sake of reducing travel time by mere minutes is short-sighted, as the damage to the ecosystem could be irreversible.

To save this vital forest, alternative solutions should be explored, such as optimizing the current road infrastructure or considering an alternative route that does not disrupt critical wildlife corridors. Modern engineering technologies have shown the possibility of development without destruction.

We urge the local and national government authorities, conservation bodies, and civil society to step in and halt this unnecessary destruction. Let us prioritize sustainable development that coexists with nature and protects our natural heritage for future generations.

Sign this petition to demand a halt to the destructive plan and to call for sustainable solutions that respect our precious environment.