Team Herald
PORVORIM: Defending the proposed doubling of the South Western Railway (SWR) line from Tinaghat to Castlerock to Collem, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said that the project is important from a defence strategic point of view in case of an emergency.
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Sawant also told House that the project, approved by the National Board of Wildlife (NBW), is yet to obtain clearance under the Forest (Conservation) Act 1980 from the Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and the State government.
The Chief Minister also said that no work of double tracking has been started in the protected area since permission is awaited. “However, in areas outside protected areas, some work has started for improvement of railway infrastructure as per existing rules and regulations in force,” he said.
Sawant was responding to questions tabled by the BJP MLA Alina Saldanha on the status of the double-tracking of railway line, passing through the protected wilds of Mollem forest.
“This is an important project for strengthening infrastructure and to improve rail connectivity which will lead to socio-economic development of people of the State of Goa,” the Chief Minister said.
“Apart from this, the project is also important from defence strategic point of view to meet any requirement of Naval Command at Goa at short notice in case of any emergency,” he added.
Sawant said that at present, 12 passenger trains and six to seven goods trains ply on route; with around 6000 to 7000 passengers travelling per day.
He said that as informed by the SWR authorities, expected increase of passenger trains may be up to 90 with the double tracking and passenger flow may vary between 54,000 and 65,000 per day. However, from the past experience of doubling in other sections the quantum of increase in goods traffic after doubling cannot be assessed at this stage, he added.
The Chief Minister further told the House that the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has covered a length of 27.62 kms within the Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park.
The doubling of the railway line will be done along the existing rail line using primarily the railway land of 84.99 ha, which was earlier included in Bhagwan Mahaveer National Park & Wildlife Sanctuary and now has the status of forest land, he said.
Pointing to various mitigation measures proposed in the EIA report prepared by Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Sawant said that a total of eight underpasses have been proposed in the entire stretch, so as to facilitate smooth movement and crossing of wild animals.
Further, on the recommendations of the Chief Wildlife Warden, Railway Authorities have been instructed to explore the option of putting gates on tunnels which may open through some mechanical/electronically controlled switches before train arrivals to minimise trapping of wild animals in tunnels.
