Demolished wall not integral part of Rock Garden, officials clarify

The wall in question, however, was constructed by Nek Chand himself in 70s, records show

- Hillary Victor

CHANDIGARH: Amid public outrage over the demolition of a wall at the iconic Rock Garden for a road-widening and parking project at the adjacent Punjab and Haryana High Court, officials have clarified that the affected area covers only around 700 square yards of forest land. Moreover, this land was legally cleared for the project after obtaining the necessary permissions.

As per records, the wall in question was originally constructed by Nek Chand himself in the early 70s during the expansion of the Rock Garden. The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change approved the diversion of approximately 2,900 square yards of land for the road-widening project near the garden and the High Court.

According to official records, the land in question was designated as forest land, while the wall being demolished was located outside the forest area. However, it was built by Nek Chand, the creator of Rock Garden.