Outgoing Chief Justice of India Hon’ble Mr. Justice B R Gavai, before demitting office has pronounced two important judgments first dealing with Delhi’s Ridge, a part of Aravalli Range, admeasuring 7784 hectares though mandated to be protected under Delhi’s Master Plan-1962, and second one on The Aravalli Range— one of the world’s oldest mountain systems, dating back nearly 3.2 billion years—has played a defining role in shaping the landscape, climate, and human history of northwestern India.
It is a matter of record that Delhi’s Ridge, a true green lung of Capital City of Delhi measuring 7777 hectares was identified way back in 1962, under controlled by different departments/agencies. It is also matter of record British were excellent in record keeping therefore, without existing in statutory records, this magical figure could not have been arrived at. It is also matter of record that over number of years, substantial part of Ridge has been erased by those who were supposed to protect by shifting location of ridge as per their convenience. Consequently, Capital City of Delhi has attained and maintained its status as World’s Most Polluted Capital City for number of years, bereft of water and clean air.
The Supreme Court’s order dated 20 November 2025, while acknowledging the Aravalli’s historic and ecological importance, accepted the new MoEF&CC definition that identifies an “Aravali Hill” as a landform with a minimum relative height of 100 metres and an “Aravali Range” as two or more such hills located within 500 metres of each other. Apex Court while passing order has stayed further grant of mining licenses in the area.
As per media reports several experts and environmental groups have noted that this approach may exclude many lower-elevation ridge features—including rocky outcrops and gair mumkin pahar areas—that have traditionally contributed to ecological continuity, groundwater recharge, and habitat support. This definition was proposed by Forest Survey of India in its report dated 19th August 2010, in compliance with order dated 12th February 2010. This means the said report excluded nearly 15–20% of Aravalli hill features in parts of Rajasthan have already disappeared over time due to various pressures as noted by Supreme Court in its order dated 25th October 2018. This raises an important question under the new height-based definition: whether the remnants of these partially lost or eroded hills—many of which may now fall below the prescribed elevation threshold—will continue to receive ecological protection.
The Supreme Court has also clarified that it is “not interested in castigating officers” but is primarily concerned with protecting the Aravalli hills and ranges. While this signals judicial restraint, at the same time raise concerns i.e. the absence of explicit accountability directions may influence how administrative agencies respond in the future.
The NCR Planning Board’s Regional Plan 2021, operational since 2005, designates the Aravalli belt as part of the Natural Conservation Zone (NCZ), extending protection to lands recorded as gair mumkin pahar, rada, rundh, and behar, among other categories. The Delhi High Court, in decisions such as DDA vs Kenneth Builders and Ashok Tanwar, later affirmed by the Supreme Court, held that even non-notified ridge areas exhibiting morphological ridge characteristics are entitled to the same level of protection as the formally notified Ridge. These decisions underscore the ecological continuity of the Aravalli system and the need to safeguard ridge-like landforms irrespective of their elevation.
Scientific assessments indicate that several Aravalli stretches in Gurugram, Faridabad, Mahendagarh, Rewari and Bhiwani have relative heights in the range of 65–85 metres. One can observe this with naked eyes while travelling to Jaipur either through NH-48 or Delhi Mumbai Expressway. Under the new height-based definition, many of these areas may fall outside the classification of “Aravali Hills,” leading to concerns that important green zones, recharge areas, and wildlife movement corridors may become more vulnerable to land-use change.
In this context, the key issue is whether the remaining low-elevation Aravalli remnants—including areas where natural hill features have diminished over time—will continue to receive adequate environmental safeguards. A science-based and precautionary approach will be essential to ensure that implementation of the new definition does not inadvertently contribute to ecological loss, accelerated desertification, or increased pressure on groundwater and air quality across Delhi–NCR, in addition to Rajasthan would also adversely effect, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal, J&K. Therefore, protecting the Aravallis is therefore not only a regional but a broader environmental priority.
The slow but relentless destruction of the Aravalli range is no longer just an environmental issue for Rajasthan and NCR — it is a regional crisis. As this ancient mountain chain erodes and vanishes, the northern states stand to lose their first natural barrier against desertification, dust storms, erratic rainfall and climate extremes. The weakening of the Aravalli’s means hotter summers in Punjab and Haryana, more dust-laden winds reaching Himachal and J&K, falling groundwater tables, and an overall destabilisation of the climatic balance that protects the entire northern arc of India. Safeguarding the Aravallis is no longer optional — it is essential for the ecological security of half of North India.