CHANDIGARH, March 1 -- Protests against the demolition of a part of wall at the Rock Garden in Chandigarh and felling of nearly 50 trees intensified, with environmentalists, students and city residents gathering outside the World Heritage site on Friday.

Holding banners criticising the move and raising slogans against the city administration, the protesters also questioned the Punjab and Haryana high court directive which called for easing out of the traffic congestion around the court.

"Neither the decades-old trees nor the unique artwork of Nek Chand ji was spared," said Paveela Bali, a city-based activist and one of the protesters.

The move was an "insult to Chandigarh's creators - Nek Chand, Le Corbusier, and Dr MS Randhawa", she sai...