The Ajmer Development Authority (ADA) has begun the demolition of the Seven Wonders Park, acting on a Supreme Court directive issued in March this year. The park, constructed under the Ajmer Smart City Project and inaugurated in 2022 at an estimated cost of ₹12 crore, has been at the center of a prolonged legal battle over encroachment on wetlands surrounding the historic Anasagar Lake.
On March 18, 2025, a Supreme Court bench reaffirmed the need for demolition of the park and an adjoining food court, granting six months for compliance. The judges observed that urban development projects must not override ecological safeguards and stressed that Ajmer’s wetland systems were integral to the city’s sustainability. The court also fixed April 7, 2025, as the deadline for removing a food court at Luv-Kush Garden in Vaishali Nagar.
The order followed earlier proceedings in which the court had refused to stay a National Green Tribunal directive. The NGT, in August 2023, ruled that the Seven Wonders Park, Patel Stadium, Gandhi Smriti Udyan, and the food court were constructed by encroaching on notified wetland areas. The tribunal held that such projects compromised the ecological buffer of Anasagar Lake, a water body with both historic and environmental significance.
The legal dispute began in March 2023 when former BJP councillor Ashok Malik filed a petition before the NGT, flagging large-scale damage to Ajmer’s wetlands. His complaint highlighted how Smart City projects had overlooked the city’s ecological constraints. On August 11, 2023, the tribunal directed demolition of several structures, including the Seven Wonders Park. The ruling was contested, and appeals eventually reached the Supreme Court. While hearings continued, Malik and his son were arrested in November 2023 on unrelated charges but later released on bail.
The park itself remained operational until early 2025, even as litigation advanced. In its March 2025 judgment, the Supreme Court emphasized that encroachments on water bodies contradicted the stated objectives of Smart City projects. The bench remarked that a city cannot be called smart if it neglects wetlands and lakes, underscoring the principle that infrastructure development must align with environmental preservation.
With the September 17 deadline approaching, the Ajmer Development Authority has initiated demolition work. Officials confirmed that dismantling has begun with structures inside the park. One statue was earlier relocated after tenders attracted limited response, with only a single company expressing interest in the task. District authorities submitted an affidavit to the court in March, committing to complete demolition within six months. The action aligns with that undertaking, and local reports indicate that the process is being closely monitored to ensure full compliance before the deadline.
The Seven Wonders Park was among Ajmer’s flagship Smart City projects. Modeled on replicas of global monuments, it was inaugurated by then Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in 2022. Despite its popularity as a leisure destination, the project soon became controversial because of its location within a designated green belt. Residents and visitors had welcomed the facility for recreation, but environmental groups consistently opposed it, arguing that wetlands around Anasagar Lake were being systematically reduced. The case highlights recurring tensions between rapid urban beautification drives and long-term ecological sustainability in Indian cities.
Once demolition concludes, the administration is expected to submit a compliance report to the Supreme Court. Restoration of the wetland will be the next challenge, as courts have stressed that dismantling structures alone does not address ecological damage.
Measures such as soil rehabilitation, native vegetation plantation, and water flow restoration are likely to form part of the follow-up plan. For Ajmer, the case serves as a reminder that heritage, ecology, and urban development must be balanced in planning. While Smart City projects aim to upgrade civic infrastructure, their execution cannot sideline environmental obligations. The outcome of this demolition will influence how future projects in wetland-rich regions are conceived, monitored, and executed.
Image source- firstindia.co.in
.png)