Residents in Chandigarh have urged Punjab Governor and Union Territory Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria to halt the demolition of a section of the Rock Garden wall for a road-widening project near the Punjab and Haryana High Court parking area, The Tribune reported on Wednesday.

The Rock Garden, perhaps the most popular tourist attraction in Chandigarh, was built by the late Nek Chand Saini. A government official, he started building the garden in 1957 and eventually established it over 40 acres. The sculptures in the garden are built almost entirely from industrial and domestic waste.

A signature campaign to save the garden has gathered over 5,000 endorsements.

The petition makes four demands, namely: the “immediate cessation of all demolition activities in and around the Rock Garden and its forested surroundings”, the creation of a “comprehensive restoration plan, with government funding allocated to enhance and expand the Rock Garden rather than destroy it”, recognition of the garden as a “protected national heritage site” and the prevention of developments that threaten its integrity and measures to ensure the garden’s forested area “remains untouched and continues to support local biodiversity”.

Unidentified officials told The Tribune that the wall being demolished was not part of Nek Chand’s Rock Garden, but had been built to enclose nearby forest land. The High Court had directed the administration to address traffic bottlenecks caused by a protruding section of the Rock Garden near the multi-level parking facility.

In a separate letter to Kataria, residents organised under the banner of “Saving Chandigarh” said that the Rock Garden and its surroundings were classified as a Grade 1 heritage site under the Chandigarh Master Plan-2031 and fall within the catchment area of Sukhna lake, a protected zone. They called on Kataria to intervene and ensure that future development projects respect the city’s aesthetic, functional and environmental integrity.

“This insensitive destruction disregards the historic and cultural significance of the world-famous creation,” the letter stated, adding that the move violates heritage and environmental laws that prohibit construction in the area. “This is yet another example of the alarming breakdown of Chandigarh’s well-planned urban fabric in the name of need-based changes.”

Concerns over heritage, environment violations

Journalist Taruni Gandhi said the administration had failed to meet conditions set by the Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee regarding Rock Garden.

“This property falls in a buffer zone as per UNESCO WHC [World Heritage Committee], and you were supposed to report its status through the State of Conservation,” she wrote on X. “Fifty-four trees were to be axed – you were required to take Forest Land Diversion approval, but you didn’t.”

News anchor Gargi Rawat also expressed concern, calling Rock Garden “a valuable part of the city’s history and heritage.” She said the site was an early example of sustainability, created from waste at a time when the concept of recycling was not widely known.

Priyanka Saini, daughter of Rock Garden’s late creator Nek Chand, said the family was “deeply disheartened” by the demolition. “Government officials aren’t the only rightful guardians – the people and the family must have a say!” she wrote on X.

Administration defends project

The Union Territory administration aims to complete the road-widening work near the High Court by March 31 to ease traffic congestion in the parking areas of the High Court.

To meet the court’s directive, the administration began the road-widening project, accelerating work on weekends to reduce disruptions to public life.