CEC for scraping of Goa-Karnataka rail track doubling

The Central Empowered Committee, constituted by the Supreme Court, in its report has stated that it "does not find any justification for undertaking a project (doubling of the railway line between Tinaighat-Castlerock in Karnataka and Kulem in Goa) which will destroy the fragile eco-system of the Western Ghats".

The CEC had examined the feasibility of three linear infrastructure projects - doubling of the railway line between Karnataka and Goa, Goa-Tamnar transmission project of laying electric lines and four-laning of existing NH-4A (between Anmod in Karnataka to Mollem in Goa) - within the boundaries of wildlife sanctuary and national park in the state of Goa.

The report, which was submitted to the apex court on April 23, states that doubling of the railway line will only marginally enhance the capacity of the 'most inefficient section of the railway network' passing through ecologically sensitive and bio-diversity rich tiger reserve, including two wildlife sanctuaries and a national park.

The Goa Foundation, which had pleaded with the Supreme Court to constitute CEC had claimed that the three linear projects would result in the diversion of about 170 hectares of forest land (128.28 hectares for the railway project, 31 hectares for the NH 4A project and 11.54 hectares for transmission project). A total of 37,000 trees in the world’s eight eco-sensitive zones is estimated to be felled in Goa alone.

The CEC committee, headed by member-secretary Amarnatha Shetty, has recommended the apex court to revoke the permission granted by the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC NBWL) for doubling of the railway track, which is proposed to pass through 120.85 hectares of the protected area from the Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary, Goa and Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka.

The report has also rapped the standing committee of NBWL for gross underestimation of the requirement of virgin forest land for implementation of the project. It says during the implementation stage, 'much more than 120.87 hectares' of the estimated forest land is likely to be destroyed.

"The increased number of trains and wider openings through the ecologically sensitive Western Ghats will further fragment the habitat and will make the movement of wildlife much more difficult and dangerous. It is bound to result in high casualties among the wildlife,” the report states.

The CEC members argue that Goa port constitutes only 20% of rake movement from Goa to Karnataka, and the alternative ports like Krishnapatnam in the east have better rail connectivity to hinterlands of Karnataka.

Wildlife conservationist Giridhar Kulkarni said CEC has taken a strong stand in favour of wildlife by not recommending railway doubling project within both Karnataka and Goa and they have considered the representations of the public very seriously.

Four-lane highway

The CEC has, however, proposed the apex court to consider approving the proposal of widening of NH-4A after the Goa PWD and National Highways Authority of India have incorporated the changes in the earlier plan. It has recommended an increase of animal overpass and underpass. CEC has also suggested conversion of plain terrain be converted to a 4-lane elevated road.