Chandigarh, Aug. 9 -- Two years after initiating work on the much-touted non-motorised transport (NMT) green corridor and felling around 200 trees for its construction, the UT administration has scrapped the project following the Heritage Committee's disagreement. Envisaged under the Chandigarh Master Plan-2031, the 8-km corridor, equipped with lighting, was planned to connect the Capitol Complex in Sector 1 to Sector 56, running along the N-Choe from the northern to the southern parts of the city. It was pitched as a dedicated route for non-motorised travel such as cycling and walking, to reduce carbon emissions and enhance pedestrian and cyclist safety. A senior official of the urban planning department said, "After the engineering department asked us to re-examine the project, we referred it to the heritage committee, but they did not give their approval. Their view was that when the Master Plan was prepared, there were not many cycle tracks in the city, but now major roads already have them, making this corridor unnecessary." The official further said, "The committee, after detailed discussions and deliberations, concluded that the concerns raised by residents against the proposal were valid. It observed that introducing cycle tracks within green belts or parks would create a contradictory movement system for pedestrians, as cyclists would be free to use any of the tracks in these areas." "Such an arrangement, the committee noted, would undermine the original intent of green spaces, which were designed as serene environments meant for the care of the mind, body, and soul," official added. UT chief engineer CB Ojha confirmed the chain of events, saying, "Following objections from Sector 10 residents, we referred the project back to the urban planning department for review. We have not yet received their reply." The project's journey has been turbulent. Work began in June 2023 but was suspended in September by then UT administrator Banwarilal Purohit after a complaint to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) flagged the "illegal" felling of trees. The estimated cost of the corridor was Rs.5 crore. In November last year, UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria gave the greenlight to resume work after the engineering department assured that no trees would be cut. Work restarted in December, only to face renewed opposition from the residents'body, prompting yet another review. The project was the first of 11 NMT corridors proposed across Chandigarh under the Master Plan-2031....