124K trees to be cut for MP rail project; environmentalists raise alarm

Under this crucial project, the railway's historic narrow-gauge line is being converted into a broad-gauge line, officials said

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At least 1.24 lakh trees are likely to be felled on a section passing through dense forests to clear the way for the construction of the railway's Mhow-Khandwa gauge conversion project in Madhya Pradesh, officials said on Wednesday.

Under this crucial project, the railway's historic narrow-gauge line is being converted into a broad-gauge line, they said.

The new railway line will reduce the distance between Indore, the economic capital of Madhya Pradesh, and Mumbai, the country's financial capital, and will also strengthen western MP's connectivity with south India, the officials said.

Environmentalists have warned of the adverse impact of tree felling for the railway line, even as the forest department said it has prepared a detailed mitigation plan.

"As many as 1.41 lakh trees are estimated to be affected in the dense forests of Indore and Khargone districts for the construction of the Mhow-Sanawad section of the railway's Mhow-Khandwa gauge conversion project," Indore's Divisional Forest Officer Pradeep Mishra told PTI.

"According to our estimates, 1.24 lakh trees will be cut, but we will make every effort to save the remaining trees. Many trees will also be saved due to the construction of tunnels for the railway line in the hilly area," he said.

The official said the forest department has received in-principle approval from the central government to cut trees for the railway project, and final approval will be issued after completing the necessary formalities.

The forest department has prepared a detailed plan to minimise the adverse effects of tree cutting on wildlife, soil, and moisture, he said.

The Mhow-Sanawad section of the Mhow-Khandwa gauge conversion project is affecting 404 hectares of forest area in Indore district and 46 hectares in Khargone district, Mishra said.

To compensate for the environmental damage caused by tree felling, trees will be planted in twice the area, he said.

"There is limited land available for tree plantation in Indore district. Therefore, trees will be planted in a total of 916 hectares in the forest divisions of Dhar and Jhabua districts....1,000 trees will be planted per hectare," the official said.

Under the Mhow-Khandwa gauge conversion project, a 156-km-long broad-gauge railway line is to be laid, while the narrow-gauge line laid before India's independence was 118 km long, a railway official said.

Work on the gauge conversion project is underway and is likely to be completed by 2027-28, the official said.

Indore-based environmentalist Shankarlal Garg, however, claimed, "A large number of trees will be cut in the dense forests of Choral and Mhow for the railway project. The climate of a large city like Indore is largely dependent on these forests. Consequently, tree felling will definitely impact rainfall and temperature in the city."  The shrinking of forest cover due to tree felling will also increase human-wildlife conflict, he added.