Panchkula: A citizen-led campaign to save one of Panchkula’s last sprawling mango groves has prompted a dramatic change in plans, with the municipal corporation shelving its proposal for a 24-acre fairground and instead opting to develop the site as a nature-centric public park.What was once feared to be the next casualty of urban development is now being envisioned as a green recreational hub complete with an amphitheatre, lake, digital gallery, jogging track and dedicated spaces for the peacocks that inhabit the grove. Civic officials insist the project will be designed around the existing mango orchard, ensuring that the area’s rich biodiversity remains untouched.“The objective is to blend conservation with recreation,” MC commissioner Vinay Kumar told TOI. “The natural landscape will be retained. The jogging track will run along the outer periphery, a lake will be created, and a digital gallery will be developed in a manner that does not disturb the environment. Revenue generated from the gallery will help maintain the site, while the amphitheatre will host public events.”Apart from preserving the grove, the project is expected to improve pedestrian connectivity between Sector 20 and Kundi village, reducing the need for residents to take a lengthy detour around the site. Parking facilities are also proposed outside the park area.The civic body has sought a no-objection certificate from the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran. Once approvals are received, a consultant will be engaged to prepare a Detailed Project Report, following which tenders will be floated for execution of the project.The decision marks a significant victory for residents who had mounted sustained opposition to the fairground proposal announced by mayor Sham Lal Bansal. Fearing tree felling, traffic chaos, pollution and the loss of a rare urban green space, residents launched online campaigns, organised demonstrations and submitted representations urging the municipal corporation to preserve the orchard as a biodiversity park or heritage grove.In their representations, residents described the orchard as the “green heart” of Sector 20, highlighting its role in supporting biodiversity, reducing dust and noise, and providing much-needed green cover in one of Panchkula’s most densely populated sectors. They also warned that turning the site into a fairground could irreversibly alter its ecosystem and threaten the mature trees and peafowl that thrive there.Drawing attention to issues reported at fairgrounds in several Haryana cities, residents argued that large commercial events often bring challenges related to waste management, traffic congestion, sewage disposal and post-event clean-up. They urged authorities to identify a more suitable location for exhibitions and fairs, while preserving the mango grove for future generations.The site had earlier been proposed as a mela ground by Mayor Sham Lal Bansal, a move that had faced opposition from residents concerned about the impact of large gatherings and related infrastructure on the mango grove and its ecosystem. The residents have been of the view that trees should not be cut, and the mango grove should be maintained. The site falls near housing societies in Sector 20 and Kundi village.
