Supreme Court clears Kukrail night safari in U.P., asks ‘should country remain at a standstill?’
The Supreme Court of India has approved the Uttar Pradesh government's plan to build a night safari and zoological park within the Kukrail reserve forest. The court dismissed concerns about the project's impact, emphasizing the need for development while mandating strict environmental monitoring by the Central Empowered Committee.
Why it matters
This ruling highlights the ongoing tension between commercial development and environmental conservation in protected forest areas.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday (July 15, 2026) asked if the “country should remain at a standstill’ to a petitioner who challenged the launch of an “ambitious” night safari project by the Uttar Pradesh government within the 2,000-hectare Kukrail reserve forest near Lucknow.
The article provides a balanced account of the court's reasoning and the petitioner's concerns without taking a side.
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