Chandigarh’s landmark Rock Garden faces partial demolition

Chandigarh: The Rock Garden created by the Punjab bureaucrat Nek Chand Saini is being partially demolished by the Chandigarh Union Territory administration following a directive from the Punjab and Haryana high court.

“So sorry, Nek Chand Saini, your precious creation is being demolished in part to make way for a road and parking of polluting vehicles. We, the people of Chandigarh and the Administration have let you down, that too in your birth centenary year. I have tears in my eyes,” wrote Manmohan Sarin, a Chandigarh resident, on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, after the demolition drive four days ago.

The garden, a major attraction for visitors to Chandigarh, was built by Saini, who started working on it in 1957 on his own collecting discarded material and turning it into art. Before the Chandigarh administration woke up to the existence of the garden in 1975, it had spread to 12 acres.

“I am Nek Chand’s granddaughter and my family has spent decades shaping Chandigarh’s ecosystem, planting hundreds of trees and fostering sustainability.

We are deeply disheartened by this demolition,” wrote Priyanka Saini on her X handle. “Government officials aren’t the only rightful guardians—the people & family must have a say.”

Environmentalist Samita Kaur said the Chandigarh administration should be ashamed of the demolition drive. “Tribute to Nek Chand on demolition of parts of Rock Garden in Chandigarh and trees massacred for road widening. I wonder whether our MP Manish Tiwari is aware while this is going on.”