Activists call for dropping of Mysuru-Thalaserry rail line

BENGALURU: With the Railway Ministry asking Kerala to first sort out environmental issues with all stake holders on the proposed Mysuru-Thalaserry railway line, wildlife experts and activists in Karnataka hope the project is abandoned once for all. They say the proposed alignment traversing fragile forest habitat in south Kodagu will sound the death knell for both people and wildlife what with the  district suffering untold miseries and destruction in the recent landslides.

Making a written statement in Lok Sabha, Union Minister of state of Railways Rajen Gohain stated recently that the feasibility report for Thalaserry-Periyapatna (Mysuru) rail line has been submitted by Kerala Rail Development Corporation Ltd (KRDCL), a joint venture company of Kerala government and Railway Ministry, But this report has been prepared without any survey on ground. Further, there is no assessment of the impact of the proposed railway line in the forest zones of Karnataka and Kerala that involves fragile ecosystem and protected forest areas/sanctuaries.

Further, the Minister stated that local people have been agitating against the proposed alignment in Karnataka. Accordingly, KRDCL has been advised to sort out the issues of forest clearances and alignment with all the stake holders involved including Karnataka and thereafter, update the feasibility report for appropriate consideration of the proposed new line.

Despite assurances given by legislators and ministers for abandoning the project, Sundar Muthanna, Coorg Wildlife Society says, “We have a long battle ahead as the state government has been taking up unsustainable projects with little awareness about its ecological backlash in the Western Ghats. Kerala is on the back foot but they will pursue the project just like the Bandipur issue. If they do it, it is bad news for Kodagu and its fragile environment.”

The proposed 240 km rail line is expected to pass through Kutta, Kanoor, Balele and Thithimathi in Kodagu traversing dense jungles as also the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve.