The Supreme Court on Thursday firmly declined to permit the Haryana government to proceed with its proposed Aravalli Jungle Safari project, stating that no action can be taken on the plan until the definition of the “Aravalli range” is clarified by expert authorities.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi categorically refused the state’s request to submit a revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) for scrutiny, emphasising that the court would not allow “anyone to touch the Aravallis” until the matter of geographical and ecological classification was resolved.
“We are not experts. The experts will decide the definition of Aravalli. Till the definition of the Aravalli range is finalised, we will not allow anyone to touch the Aravallis,” the CJI stated.
The Haryana government, through its counsel, informed the bench that it had revised the proposed DPR of the safari project, reducing the area from 10,000 acres to over 3,300 acres. The state’s counsel sought permission to place this revised report before the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) for evaluation.
The bench, however, declined this request, expressing reservations about the selective approach sometimes adopted by the CEC. The CJI remarked that, once expert opinion is received on the precise definition of the Aravalli range, the court would examine the safari proposal as part of the larger issue.
“Sometimes, the CEC is also very selective in giving its permission. If we permit this, they will give a very rosy picture that these are the trees, wildlife and forests,” the bench observed.
The CJI added, “Aravalli is not only of Haryana or Rajasthan, but it is a range which traverses many states. We will deal with this issue of safari with the main matter.”
In October 2025, the Supreme Court had stayed the Haryana government’s ambitious Aravalli Zoo Safari project, which was touted as the world’s largest zoo safari, planned across 10,000 acres in Gurugram and Nuh districts. The project proposed zones for big cats and facilities to house hundreds of bird, reptile, and butterfly species.
This stay came in response to a petition filed by five retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers and NGO ‘People for Aravalis,’ who raised serious environmental concerns. They argued that the project would further damage the already fragile Aravalli ecosystem.
The legal controversy over the definition of the Aravalli range intensified after the top court’s November 20, 2025 order, where it accepted a uniform definition of the hills based on the Ministry of Environment’s recommendation. That definition described an “Aravalli Hill” as any landform in notified districts with elevation above 100 metres and an “Aravalli Range” as a collection of such hills within 500 metres of each other.
However, amid public criticism and perceived ambiguities, the Supreme Court kept that definition in abeyance on December 29, noting that it raised “critical ambiguities” and might strip large portions of the Aravalli region of environmental protection.
The court proposed setting up a high-powered expert committee, citing the need to address regulatory gaps and ensure the ecological integrity of the region.
As per a previous direction dated May 9, 2024, the Supreme Court has already barred any mining activity in the Aravalli Hills and Ranges — as per the 2010 FSI report — without its prior approval.
On Thursday, the bench reiterated that the jungle safari project would only be considered once a scientifically sound and legally valid definition of the Aravalli range is finalised. Until then, no project or intervention will be entertained.
