NHSRCL to cut 1.5 lakh mangroves for MAHSR Bullet train project

Anushka Khare Posted on: 2019-04-11 08:27:47 Viewer: 811 Comments: 0 Country: India City: Mumbai

NHSRCL to cut 1.5 lakh mangroves for MAHSR Bullet train project

Mumbai (Urban Transport News): The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) will cut around 1,50,000 trees in Thane, Navi Mumbai and Palghar districts of Maharashtra to start work of India's first High Speed Rail project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

NHSRCL has informed the Bombay High Court on Monday that the expert appraisal committee of Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) gave its nod to the proposal by National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), seeking permission to remove mangroves in Thane, Navi Mumbai, and Palghar districts to make way for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project.

On March 18, Sharmila Deshmukh, Counsel for Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA), has informed the Bombay High court that the NHSRCL proposal had been approved and a request sent to the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) for the final approval. Initially, the Maharashtra Coastal Zone Management Authority (MCZMA) had objected and could not grant permission to remove 19 hectares of mangroves, owing to an HC direction not allowing to do so.  

The NHSRCL had moved the Bombay High Court last month against the MCZMA after denial of its proposal on December 22, 2018. According to the petition filed by the NHSRCL, 155.642 km out of the 508-km long Bullet Train corridor, passes through Maharashtra and affects 131.3 hectares of forest area, including mangroves spread over 32.43 hectares. According to NHSRCL, the first high speed bullet train may run between Surat and Bilimora by 2022.

The train will cover a stretch of around 48 kilometers in 15 minutes. However, the deadline for the high speed corridor between Mumbai and Ahmedabad (508 km) is 2023. While missing several deadlines, the NHSRSL is trying to initiate the land acquision process and villagers are being asked to give land so that pillars for the train can be erected. In Thane district, the train will pass through 26 villages and affect over 200 farmers.





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