Will India's Oldest Mountain Range Disappear? The Complete Story Behind Supreme Court's Controversial Aravalli Verdict

The Aravalli Mountain Range is one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world, formed approximately 2 to 3 billion years ago from the collision of tectonic plates. It stretches 800 kilometers from Gujarat to Delhi and serves as the environmental backbone of Northwest India.

The Aravalli Mountain Range is incredibly ancient, estimated to be around 2 to 3 billion years old. It predates humans and dinosaurs, forming during the Proterozoic era.

Aravalli was formed when two massive tectonic plates, the Bundelkhand Craton and the Marwar Craton, collided on the Indian landmass. This catastrophic collision caused the Earth's surface to fold, compress, and rise, giving birth to the range.

The Aravalli-Delhi Orogeny is the geological process during the Proterozoic era that led to the formation of the Aravalli Mountain Range. It involved volcanic activities, marine sediment accumulation, metamorphosis of rocks, and subsequent erosion over millions of years.

The rocks within the Aravalli Range include granite, gneiss, schist, quartzite, and marble. These rocks are millions of years old and bear witness to the range's ancient geological history.

The Aravalli Range was once taller than even the Himalayas. However, millions of years of erosion have worn it down significantly, and today its general height ranges from 300-900 meters.

The highest peak in the Aravalli Range is Guru Shikhar, located in Mount Abu, which stands at an elevation of 1,722 meters.

The Aravalli Mountain Range stretches approximately 800 kilometers and touches four Indian states: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi.

Aravalli acts as a natural barrier, preventing the Thar Desert from expanding eastward. It stops sand storms from reaching densely populated areas like Delhi-NCR and Uttar Pradesh, effectively shielding them from desertification.

The Aravalli's unique rock structure allows it to absorb rainwater, significantly recharging groundwater reserves. It's estimated that each hectare of Aravalli helps channel approximately 2 million liters of water into the ground annually, making it crucial for water security.

Several important rivers originate from the Aravalli Range, including the Banas, Sabarmati, Luni, and Sahibi rivers, which are vital for the regions they flow through.

Aravalli functions as a natural air filter for the Delhi-NCR region. It helps block dust particles carried by winds and plays a role in regulating local temperatures, contributing to better air quality.

The Aravalli Range is a biodiversity treasure, home to a variety of wildlife including leopards, hyenas, jackals, hundreds of bird species, and rare flora, supporting a rich ecosystem.

Prominent wildlife sanctuaries nestled within the Aravalli Range include Sariska Tiger Reserve and Ranthambore National Park, which are crucial for wildlife conservation.

On November 20, 2025, the Supreme Court delivered a verdict concerning the Aravalli Range that significantly shocked environmentalists. While specific details are not fully provided in the snippet, the implication is that the verdict raises concerns about the future preservation and potential disappearance of the range.

The controversial Supreme Court verdict regarding the Aravalli Mountain Range was delivered on November 20, 2025.

Aravalli is considered the environmental backbone due to its multifaceted ecological roles: preventing desert expansion, recharging groundwater, filtering air pollution, and harboring rich biodiversity, all critical for the health and sustainability of Northwest India.

If Aravalli disappeared, Delhi and surrounding regions would likely become a desert, suffering from severe sand storms, depleted groundwater, increased air pollution, and massive biodiversity loss, leading to a major ecological crisis.

The Bundelkhand Craton and Marwar Craton were two massive tectonic plates on the Indian landmass whose collision approximately 2 to 3 billion years ago led to the formation of the Aravalli Mountain Range.

The Proterozoic era is the geological eon during which the Aravalli Mountain Range was formed, specifically through a process known as the Aravalli-Delhi Orogeny, involving significant tectonic activity and geological transformation.