By Karsten Miranda
MARGAO: A collective of esteemed scientists and researchers has written a formal letter to the Regional Empowered Committee (REC), urging it to uphold the Central Empowered Committee’s (CEC) strong recommendation to scrap the controversial double-tracking of the railway line from Castlerock (Karnataka) to Kulem (Goa).
The letter, addressed to the REC at the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC), highlights the irreversible damage the double-tracking project would cause to the biodiversity-rich forests of the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and Mollem National Park.
These protected areas serve as critical wildlife corridors, supporting endangered species such as the Bengal tiger, dhole, and Indian pangolin. If approved, the project would lead to large-scale deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and increased train-induced wildlife mortality.
The Western Ghats is one of the world’s eight ‘hottest biodiversity hotspots,’ home to approximately 325 globally threatened species.
The CEC report underscores the project’s severe ecological implications, including the diversion of 113.857 hectares within the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary.
Experts warn that railway expansion will exacerbate forest fragmentation, disrupt seed dispersal of key forest species, and significantly increase wildlife mortality due to train collisions.
The letter also highlights concerns over habitat destruction for cavity-nesting birds like the Great Hornbill, which play a crucial role in forest regeneration.
The loss of tree cover would further impact arboreal species, such as langurs, macaques, and civets, whose movement depends on canopy connectivity. Researchers argue that mitigation measures suggested in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) remain inadequate and fail to address broader ecological disruptions.
The researchers stress that the EIA overlooked critical considerations regarding tiger presence in the region.
The proposed railway line cuts through the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary, part of the Kali Tiger Reserve, and reserved forests of the Haliyal Division, where tiger activity has been documented.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has identified this corridor as vital for connecting tiger populations in the Northern Western Ghats with those in Karnataka and Goa. Increased rail traffic would heighten mortality risks for tigers and their prey, as evidenced by rising wildlife fatalities on railway tracks across India.
The letter questions the economic and transportation rationale behind the project. With a steep 1:37 gradient, the railway line is one of the most inefficient in the country, and double-tracking will not significantly improve efficiency.
Reports suggest that coal transportation, rather than public transport, is the primary motivation for the project—despite the Indian government’s revised policy to phase out coal imports. The CEC report also points out that Goa’s new Mopa Airport and expanded highway networks already address regional transport demands, making railway expansion redundant.
The signatories call upon the REC to uphold the Supreme Court’s directive and scrap the double-tracking project entirely. They stress that the project is an inefficient use of resources with devastating socio-ecological consequences, including heightened pollution, health hazards from coal transport, and economic disruptions to communities reliant on eco-tourism.
This project threatens not only the fragile ecosystems of the Western Ghats but also the livelihoods and well-being of communities that depend on them. Upholding the CEC’s recommendation is a vital step toward protecting both the ecological future and societal well-being of the region
Dr. Anushka Rege - Scientist
Dr. Sinead D'Silva, a researcher focusing on youth futures and relationships with place, currently based at the University of Leeds, added,
“In addition to the crucial evidence raised in this letter, the people of Goa constantly demonstrate our deep relationship with territory and culture by actively voicing dissent as citizens who care. The people can see this, why is the government unable to do so?”
The scientific community stands united in this appeal, the letter concludes.