Indore, October 24 — The Madhya Pradesh High Court has disposed of a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking directions against the cutting of trees for the Indore Metro project, while issuing comprehensive directions to protect the thousands of birds that roost in the trees, Live Law reported. A division bench of Justice Subodh Abhyankar and Justice Jai Kumar Pillai passed the order, reported as 2026 LiveLaw (MP) 425.

Source: Live Law

The petitioner had claimed that more than 150 trees would have to be cut, destroying the habitat of birds for which the trees are their only habitat in the city, and the Nature Volunteers' Society joined the case as an intervenor. Before hearing the petition, the court had visited the site along with the parties and their counsel on September 29, 2026, and had directed the Rail Corporation to file alternative plans for other adjacent land that could be acquired for the underground metro station.

Source: Live Law

The Metro Rail Corporation told the court it was aware of the birds roosting in the area but that the route — from Palasia to the Railway Station — had been drawn after considering all details, that the station could not be relocated because no free land was available, and that due permission had been taken from the Forest Department. A second report of the order, by Wansom, noted the corporation's submission that the station's length had already been reduced from 180 metres to 150 metres.

Source: Wansom

The bench held that no case for interference was made out, because a coordinate bench of the same court had already considered the metro station alignment in the earlier petition, Raj Lakshmi Foundation v State of Madhya Pradesh (WP 10909 of 2024), and passing a contrary order would transgress that decision. The court nevertheless noted that most of the birds come to the trees only to roost and only a few have nested there, and it passed directions to ensure, in its words, "the least amount of inconvenience is caused to the birds."

Under the directions, the respondents must not cut all the trees at once or in any random manner: cutting and pruning must be done only in phases, over a period of time, under the supervision and consultation of at least two ornithologists or bird experts, who must take into account nests, eggs and baby birds on the branches. A wildlife rescue team must be present on site with nets and medical kits to help any injured birds or fallen babies. The same type of trees must be planted in the nearby area where space is available, and the respondents must comply with their undertaking to plant 2,500 trees — a report must be filed with the court Registry within one year, the planted trees must be cared for in subsequent years, and a yearly report with Google images must be filed every April. Padma Shri environmentalist Bhalchandra Mondhe, an intervenor in the case, was directed to advise measures so the birds get breathing time to relocate to nearby trees, and the State must pay Rs 10,000 (yaani ten thousand rupees) as remuneration to each bird expert. The petition was accordingly disposed of.