AHMEDABAD: The Union Budget for 2020-21 has sanctioned gauge conversion of 71km of track between Talala and Visavadar, at a cost of Rs 460 crore. The track cuts through the heart of the Gir Sanctuary. Wildlife experts believe this conversion will prove harmful to lions.The railway ministry also approved the gauge conversion for 70km of track connecting Talala and Delwada, passing through Jamwala.
Railway officials said that in 2018, the Union government decided to exempt a few metre-gauge lines from conversion to broad gauge due to their tourism and heritage appeal. These routes included the metre-gauge train between Veraval and Amreli, which passes through Gir sanctuary.
The Talala to Visavadar stretch was soon to be declared a heritage line. The proposal to preserve it as a heritage route meant that the line passing through the sanctuary was never be converted to broad gauge.A senior railway officer said the heritage route project was shelved as local politicians wanted the track to be converted to broad gauge. Politicians claimed that the train’s speed limit could be limited 20km per hour despite conversion into broad gauge.
Wildlife experts say the conversion could prove dangerous for lions, as a broad-gauge train will move at a minimum speed of 50km while a metre-gauge train will have a minimum speed of 30km per hour.
Lion experts said that when the Kodinar track was converted to broad gauge, several lions were killed on the track by speeding goods trains.
The officer said the metre-gauge train connecting Veraval and Amreli makes four trips a day, two up and two down trips. The train travels 18km inside the sanctuary, entering it at Sasan and leaving its limits near Kansiya Nes.
In the sanctuary, the train reduces its speed to less than 20km per hour. Fortunately, there has been no lion death on these tracks so far, the officer said.
Railway officials said that in 2018, the Union government decided to exempt a few metre-gauge lines from conversion to broad gauge due to their tourism and heritage appeal. These routes included the metre-gauge train between Veraval and Amreli, which passes through Gir sanctuary.
The Talala to Visavadar stretch was soon to be declared a heritage line. The proposal to preserve it as a heritage route meant that the line passing through the sanctuary was never be converted to broad gauge.A senior railway officer said the heritage route project was shelved as local politicians wanted the track to be converted to broad gauge. Politicians claimed that the train’s speed limit could be limited 20km per hour despite conversion into broad gauge.
Wildlife experts say the conversion could prove dangerous for lions, as a broad-gauge train will move at a minimum speed of 50km while a metre-gauge train will have a minimum speed of 30km per hour.
Lion experts said that when the Kodinar track was converted to broad gauge, several lions were killed on the track by speeding goods trains.
The officer said the metre-gauge train connecting Veraval and Amreli makes four trips a day, two up and two down trips. The train travels 18km inside the sanctuary, entering it at Sasan and leaving its limits near Kansiya Nes.
In the sanctuary, the train reduces its speed to less than 20km per hour. Fortunately, there has been no lion death on these tracks so far, the officer said.
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