Just a day before World Environment Day, at least three more trees were cut outside Rashtrapati Ashiana, prompting sharp criticism from environmental activists who say authorities broke earlier assurances of protecting Dehradun’s fragile green cover.

The trees, located near the entrance of the President’s estate, were reportedly removed to make way for a new 9-meter-wide visitor entry gate, part of redevelopment plans to open the heritage estate to the public from June 20, reported The Times Of India. 

The move follows last week’s protest over the cutting of a 100-year-old Toon tree allegedly felled to build a foot overbridge linking the estate with a new parking area on defence land.

Activists argue the estate — currently occupied by the President’s Bodyguard (PBG) and set to host a museum, equestrian centre, and other tourist amenities — sits on one of Doon’s last green stretches and should have been protected. “They assured us that no green cover would be lost. After the first tree was chopped, we protested, and PWD said that would be the only casualty. Now more are gone. How many more trees must we lose to unchecked infrastructure in Dehradun? Authorities are labelling even healthy trees as risky and chopping them,” said Himanshu Arora from Citizens for Green Doon.

Ashish Garg, another environmentalist, said at least three more trees are visibly unstable along the boundary due to ongoing drainage work, while internal felling remains unaccounted for. it is clear that many trees are being cleared inside the estate as well, but we don’t have any details on how many,” he said.

PWD officials, however, maintained that only two trees were removed on Wednesday — one of them already tilting — with necessary forest department approvals. “These are the only trees that will be affected,” a senior official said.

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