With the clamour growing against the National Highways Authority of India’s project for constructing a six-lane highway through the Aravali Biodiversity Park here, the NASSCOM, an apex body of Indian IT industry, has now written to Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Union Surface Transport and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari seeking to reconsider the proposal.

Chief Executive Officer, Nagarro, Manas Fluoria said that the NASSCOM, in its letter, argued that there was a need to aggressively promote walking, cycling and public transport instead of car-oriented infrastructure and it was the only solution to traffic, air pollution, and our oil import bill.

Carrying forward the argument, the letter said another reason for reconsidering the decision was that many companies had spent lakhs of rupees and thousands of hours of volunteering time to build the park. “For these two reasons, we request the various government entities to reconsider this road through the Aravali Biodiversity Park,” said Mr. Fluoria.

Though as per the latest reports, the road will go along the periphery of the park, the protesters said that even this new proposed alignment was detrimental as it would have a collateral impact on the flora and fauna, effect the water recharge potential and the air quality of the city.

Latika Thukral of iamgurgaon, a non-government organisation, said that several schools, including Shikshantar and The Heritage School had come forward to lend support to the cause.

In an email to the parents, Shikshantar school management said: “We request all members of the Shikshantar family to be part of the efforts being made by the community to save the Aravali Biodiversity Park. Students from Senior school will be a part of the protest being planned by iamgurgaon in the park on November 14 to highlight the issue.”

The Heritage Xperiential Learning School, urged parents to show “active citizenship and green spirit by signing and further sharing a petition that asks the government to declare the Aravali Biodiversity Park as Gurugram’s “sacred forest” that will remain untouched and protected for all times to come”.