Shimla, April 22,
Aiming to address the connectivity needs of remote communities while navigating complex environmental regulations, the Himachal Pradesh government has decided to file a review petition seeking the regularization of over 2,000 roads constructed on forest land prior to the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006.
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The decision was announced after a high-level meeting of the Forest Department chaired by Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. The review petition, to be filed before May 10, 2025, will request the Court to allow the regularization of these roads under FRA provisions, despite their violation of the Forest (Conservation) Act (FCA), 1980.
According to official data, 2,183 roads constructed without prior forest clearance have been identified across the state. These include 613 roads in Shimla zone, 821 in Mandi zone, 254 in Hamirpur zone, and 495 in Kangra zone. Notably, these roads were built before FRA came into force in the state in 2016.
Chief Minister Sukhu emphasized the significance of legal recourse to regularize roads vital for rural livelihoods and community access. “In many remote villages, these roads are not luxuries but lifelines,” he said. “We must balance environmental responsibility with the real needs of people who have depended on forests for generations.”
The Forest Rights Act recognizes the traditional rights of forest-dwelling communities, including their access to forest resources for livelihood activities. In Himachal’s villages, blacksmiths still draw charcoal from nearby forests, potters gather clay, and farmers depend on forest products for binding ropes and agricultural practices. Woodcutters, basket weavers, and bamboo artisans all rely on forest resources in ways deeply embedded in local traditions.
In light of these realities, the state government is attempting a novel legal strategy—using FRA provisions to validate roads that serve the everyday needs of these communities.
“The goal is not just infrastructure, but justice,” said a senior official present at the meeting. “These roads are essential for accessing education, healthcare, and markets. Denying them recognition under strict FCA norms would push entire villages further into isolation.”
Also present during the deliberations were Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan, Rural Development Minister Anirudh Singh, Additional Chief Secretary K.K. Pant, Secretary Law Sharad Kumar Lagwal, and Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Sanjay Sood, among other senior officials.
This policy pivot indicates a broader vision—where the state is not merely extending legal recognition to forest-dependent communities, but also integrating their needs into its development and infrastructure planning.
The petition is expected to set a precedent, potentially influencing other forested states facing similar dilemmas.
For these roads the PWD should prepare proposal, and then the consent of respective gramsabha should be taken after that the DFO can give permission to divert the forest land to PWD for road construction/repair as per the provisions of FRA
First hand the roads to the PWD. Then the village needs a bus service. The road will then be widened, straightening out the curves at the cost of the trees that line the roads. That is what ‘development’ is all about.
Why can’t these so called ‘roads’ continue to be maintained by the Forest Department?.