The Punjab and Haryana High Court extended a prior direction requiring judicial permission before tree felling to include Haryana and stayed the cutting of around 5,000 trees proposed for a National Highway project. The bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry heard a public interest litigation filed by senior advocate Anand Chhibbar and flagged environmental concerns, ordering that no trees be felled until further orders. The court directed the National Highways Authority of India to place on record all realignment proposals considered by its technical team. The petition alleged that the NH-205A alignment would cause large scale felling of mature trees across Punjab and Haryana, cutting through green belts, farms and forest areas, and estimated about 5,500 trees could be affected including roughly 2,500 in Punjab and nearly 3,000 in Panchkula. The petitioner said the tender had been awarded in haste and warned that the loss of mature trees would be irreversible. The court sought details on compensatory afforestation and whether suitable land existed near the project for planting. Counsel for the National Highways Authority of India said the project had received necessary approvals and formed part of a ring road plan intended to decongest Zirakpur and surrounding areas and to facilitate defence movement. He stated about 5,000 trees would be affected and maintained that mitigation measures were in place, with funds deposited and land identified for afforestation, though much of the land cited lay over 300 kilometres away in Ferozepur. The authority also said substantial stretches would be elevated on single pillars to minimise damage and that plantation was planned beneath elevated sections. The bench noted the low forest cover in the two states, recording Haryana at about 3.65 per cent and Punjab at about 3.67 per cent, and questioned whether realignment options had been adequately explored given the environmental cost. It restrained any work leading to tree felling and extended requirement of prior judicial permission to Haryana, warning that contravention would invite contempt proceedings. The matter was listed for hearing after two weeks.