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Tiger Corridor Under Threat From New Rail Line
2 Aug
Summary
- A third railway line project threatens a vital tiger corridor.
- Wildlife mitigation structures require scientific review and design.
- The project spans forest areas, tiger corridors, and an eco-sensitive zone.
A critical tiger corridor in Central India, essential for wildlife movement between the Satpura and Melghat reserves, faces fragmentation due to a recommended third railway line. The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL) has provided in-principle clearance for the Jujharpur-Chichonda line in Madhya Pradesh. This clearance is contingent on a thorough scientific review and finalized engineering designs for mitigation structures like wildlife overpasses.
The proposed 160.6-km stretch, part of a larger railway expansion, passes through forest areas, two notified tiger corridors, and an eco-sensitive zone. The project necessitates the use of over 206 hectares of land, including significant forest cover within a tiger corridor. Previous considerations for this project were deferred pending a necessary site inspection.
Site inspection officials noted that while the Central Railway proposed 34 overpasses, these were not based on detailed scientific studies. The SC-NBWL emphasized the need for a comprehensive assessment of the project's impacts and appropriate landscape-level mitigation measures. The final recommendations regarding mitigation structures will be made after a revisit to the project area, considering scientific studies and relevant data.
