A Supreme Court-appointed panel has given its nod to the construction of a rail track passing through Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Maharashtra as part of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor.
The Western DFC route from Vadodara to Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust goes through the park and the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) cleared the project after a hearing under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, said a senior Railway Ministry official.
The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation (DFCC) had received green signal from all authorities concerned including the state and the national wildlife boards before seeking clearance from the CEC.
The panel approved DFCC's proposal after conducting a detailed inspection of the site with the project and the state forest officials.
It added certain stipulations as mitigation measures, which have been accepted by DFCC.
DFCC shall provide underpasses for free movement of wild animals, chain link fencing for protection, and as a contribution towards the environment and wildlife protection, funds for the upkeep and improvement of the national park apart from compensatory afforestation in the region.
The Western DFC project involves construction of new railway double line from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in Maharashtra to Dadri in Uttar Pradesh, a large part of which is parallel to the existing railway track.
According to DFCC officials, the project has been planned in the wake of demand for additional capacity of rail freight transportation.
