Nagpur: The Narendra Modi government at the Centre is pushing for upgradation of meter gauge (MG) railway line through Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR) to broad gauge (BG). However, National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) believes the project is not feasible, and an alternative alignment will increase operational and economic growth of the railways.
A four-member committee consisting of Wildlife Institute of India (WII) scientist Dr K Ramesh; MTR field director MS Reddy; deputy chief engineer (construction), South Central Railway (SCR) Nagabhushana Rao, and AIG, NTCA, Bengaluru Rajendra Garawad, recently submitted its report to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) after a site visit last year.
The report, sought under RTI by activist Avinash Prabhune, states that though the cost of upgrading the line through MTR will be Rs1,231 crore, while an alternate alignment will cost Rs2,100 crore, the railways will get larger benefits if it bypasses the tiger reserve. “The upgradation of the line from outside MTR will promote economic growth of the region and there will be no speed restrictions on trains. In future, there will also be scope for doubling, and improving operational efficiency, or increasing speed of passenger and freight trains,” says the report.
The railways has taken up gauge conversion work between Akola-Khandwa (176km) on the vulnerable Akot-Amlakhurd railway stations under South Central Railway (SCR). Of this, 39km existing alignment passes through the tiger reserve. The project will need additional 50.45 hectares forest land, which will cost Rs4.05 crore.
As per the report, the total cost of the project from inside MTR comes to Rs1,231 crore. This includes Rs300 crore for habitat improvement, mitigation measures, forest land cost, Rs127.30 crore relocation cost of villages, and rail line construction cost Rs800 crore.
If an alternative alignment is chosen outside MTR, the length of the project increases by 29.37km. The cost of the additional length of railway track comes to Rs400.61 crore, and a 6.65km tunnel will cost Rs556 crore. The land acquisition cost will come to Rs650 crore. This combined will cost Rs2,100 crore.
However, even if this is true, the project through MTR will not benefit the railway in the long run as there will be restrictions on speed, no scope for future expansion and electrification. Besides, the mitigation measures will further increase the project cost. Construction activities will also cause habitat loss and pollution, the report states.
More importantly, the report points out that upgradation through the reserve will not benefit many villages, and objective of unigauge policy will not be fully realized. Despite mitigation measures there will be animal kills due to train hits. The park will also be hit by all forms of pollution and solid waste, which will adversely affect wildlife and forest.
“While economic growth of the country is much-needed, our protected areas are also crucial from ecological security point of view. Without biological diversity no economic development can be achieved. Recent research has highlighted that tiger reserves provide wide ranging economic benefits to local communities through water conservation,” the team has said in the report.
The committee has recommended the railways should explore alternative alignment with appropriate mitigation measures to avoid construction of the tunnel. A survey should be carried out by a team comprising railway, forest and wildlife officials and experts like geologists.
