Watchtowers in Aravallis | 26 Nov 2025

Why in News? 

Two new watchtowers are set to be constructed in the Aravalli region of Gurugram to strengthen surveillance, prevent illegal activities, and improve forest protection efforts. 

Key Points 

• About the Watchtowers: 
  • The Forest Department has approved construction of two elevated watchtowers planned in the Mangar Bani and Dhauj belts. 
  • It will enhance monitoring across vulnerable stretches of the Gurugram–Aravalli landscape, which faces encroachment, mining, tree felling, and illegal dumping, especially in eco-sensitive pockets such as Gairatpur Bas, Gwal Pahari, and Mangar. 
  • Officials plan to integrate the watchtowers with camera-based monitoring, enabling forest guards to track movement, detect intrusions, and coordinate with beat staff more effectively.
    
• About Aravalli Range: 
  • The Aravalli Range is one of the oldest fold mountain systems in the world, stretching across Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Delhi. 
  • It acts as a natural barrier preventing desertification from the Thar Desert toward the Indo-Gangetic plains. 
  • The range hosts critical ecosystems such as dry deciduous forests, scrublands, and supports species like Indian leopard, striped hyena, sambar, and Indian peafowl. 
  • Aravallis play a crucial role in groundwater recharge, climate regulation, and reducing urban heat island effects in NCR. 
  • Major threats include illegal mining, urbanisation, encroachment, pollution, and habitat fragmentation.