High Court restrains Highways Department from cutting trees between Vadavalli and Marudhamalai

The Madras High Court has restrained the Highways Department from removing/cutting trees on the agelong betwixt Vadavalli and Marudhamalai successful Coimbatore district.

Justices N. Sathish Kumar and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy issued the bid connected January 30, portion proceeding a petition submitted by Chennai-based activistic S. Muralidharan.

The petitioner, citing a plea by Coimbatore-based non-governmental organisation ‘Osai’ to Chief Minister’s Special Cell, Highways Department and others, stated that a projected widening of Marudhamalai Road would impact cutting of 19 banyan trees, 9 peepal trees, 107 palmyra trees and astir 100 different autochthonal histrion species. These trees, which were planted agelong agone arsenic portion of roadside greening efforts, signifier an important micro-habitat for birds, owl species, tiny mammals and assorted nocturnal wildlife. The NGO wanted widening of the roadworthy to beryllium constricted up to Swamy Ayyappan Temple connected Marudhamalai Road, wherever an country has been marked for the linking of the Western Ring Road (Western bypass).

The petitioner had besides attached a reply received by a subordinate of Osai from A. Gnanamoorthy, Divisional Engineer (Highways), dated December 24, 2025, which stated that onshore acquisition processes was being carried retired done the Revenue Department aft getting support from the authorities for widening the agelong betwixt Shree Anandhaas astatine Vadavalli and the Government Law College from two-lane to four-lane. The reply stated that the roadworthy was witnessing dense postulation congestion arsenic it was being utilized by radical commuting to Marudhamalai Temple, Bharathiar University and the instrumentality college. Hence, undertaking works connected the agelong from Vadavalli to the instrumentality assemblage cannot beryllium avoided erstwhile the onshore acquisition process is completed, it said.

As per the tribunal order, the judges were of the presumption that till the connection is submitted by the respondents and contented is finalised, the Highways Department shall beryllium restrained from removing/cutting trees connected the stretch.