Scientists urge regional committee to halt rail expansion in Western Ghats

Margao: A group of researchers and scientists has called on the Regional Empowered Committee in Bengaluru to reject the proposed double-tracking of the railway line from Castlerock (Karnataka) to Kulem (Goa) through the Western Ghats. The appeal comes after an environmental impact assessment (EIA) conducted by the Wildlife Institute of India in March 2024.

The railway expansion project, which would pass through the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and Mollem National Park, has faced significant opposition due to its potential environmental impact. Scientists argue that the project threatens one of the world’s eight “hottest hotspots” of biodiversity, home to approximately 325 globally threatened species.

The letter highlights several concerns, including increased forest fragmentation, disruption of seed dispersal, and elevated risks of wildlife mortality. Of particular concern is the project’s impact on the tiger population, as the railway line crosses through the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary, part of the Kali Tiger Reserve, and serves as a corridor for tiger movement in the northern Western Ghats.

The scientists also question the project’s economic justification, noting that the railway line’s steep 1:37 gradient makes it one of India’s most inefficient rail routes. They argue that the project’s primary purpose – coal transportation – contradicts govt’s recent policy shift away from coal imports.

The appeal follows the Central Empowered Committee’s earlier recommendation to scrap the project, which was supported by the Supreme Court. Despite this, the project’s status recently changed from “removed” to “EDS raised” in Nov 2024, prompting renewed concern from the scientific community.

The scientists emphasise that centuries of forest growth and its associated ecosystem services cannot be offset by compensatory measures like planting saplings elsewhere.