Gurugram, Haryana — Residents of Parsvnath Exotica Society in Sector-53, located along the high-traffic Golf Course Road in Gurugram, staged a peaceful protest on Sunday against the construction of a compressed natural gas (CNG) station near their residential complex. The residents, including senior citizens and women, gathered under the banner of the Resident Welfare Association (RWA) to express their objections to the project, citing risks to safety, the environment, and traffic flow.
Image Credit: Parveen Kumar / HT Photo
According to the RWA, the proposed CNG station site—allocated by the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP)—is perilously close to the society’s entrance and threatens to remove a patch of dense green cover that serves as a buffer zone between the residential area and the main road. Residents allege that tree-cutting operations were initiated by the developer without official permissions, leading to fears of unchecked environmental damage.
“There are over 789 families in our society. Installing a CNG station a few metres from our boundary wall raises serious safety and environmental concerns,” said Ashok Singhal, RWA President. “While we are not against development, it must not come at the cost of public health, safety, or the environment. There has been no public consultation or environmental clearance shared with us.”
Despite the visit of forest department officials last Friday, no action was taken to halt the reported tree cutting. Locals are demanding transparency and a reconsideration of the location to avoid future risks.
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Rajneesh Magan, RWA Secretary, emphasized that the protest remains peaceful and non-disruptive. “We are simply seeking dialogue. None of the residents were informed or consulted before this plan was set in motion,” he stated.
Local resident Yash Manoj Handa echoed similar sentiments, urging the authorities to relocate the project to a more appropriate location: “We respectfully request that the CNG station be shifted to a less sensitive area where it won’t endanger lives or the environment.”
This protest reflects a growing trend of civic activism in urban planning issues across Indian cities, where local communities are increasingly raising their voices for inclusive, transparent, and sustainable development.
Key Issues Raised:
- Violation of pollution control norms near petroleum-related infrastructure.
- Risk to public safety due to proximity to residential zone.
- Illegal tree cutting without forest department clearance.
- Lack of stakeholder consultation or transparency in planning.