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Article
dated 30th April 2000 -
Ring Railway Via Borivali Opposed For
Threat To National
Park by Yogesh Naik
The proposed Light Rail Transport (LRT) system planned for
Thane would pose a serious danger to wildlife in Sanjay
Gandhi National Park if the ring route railway project is
extended to the Borivali area. The forest department is
likely to oppose the railway passing through the park.
Thane Municipal Commissioner (TMC) T Chandrashekhar yesterday
confirmed that here was proposal to extend the railway system
to Borivali and nearby Bhiwandi. According to original plans,
the ring railway was to be confined to Thane and its surrounding
areas. The railway line passing through the park, forest
officials fear, would disturb the wildlife and restrict
the movement of panthers. Already, many animals have been
killed while crossing the Thane-Borivali road that runs through
the forest area in Chena and Nagla to Yeoor.
"I have not seen the plans, but if there is such a move it is something very
serious and would cause a great deal of damage to the flora and fauna of the
national park. We will definitely oppose such plans," said A R Bharati, deputy conservator of Sanjay Gandhi National Park.
The park,which covers 103 sq km, is shelter to panthers,
deer, sambars, crocodiles monkeys, wild boars and a variety
of birds. Slum encroachments and road widening between Thane
and Borivali has already put a lot of pressure on the park.
Now, the proposed railway line would involve chopping
down a few thousand trees.
However, TMC Deputy Engineer Suhas Samant sounded confident that the railway project would get the necessary permissions.
Confirming that the ring railway would pass through the
Sanjay Gandhi National Park if the services were to be extended
to Borivali Samant said, "The forest department will easily
give permissions. We will just have to undertake afforestation
programmes to replace the trees that are cut. Even the Mumbai-Pune
Expressway project has been done on a large chunk of forest
land."
The plan for the railway that was drawn up in 1985 marked out 11 stations. The
line is to start from Thane Station (East) with the first halt at Kopri. It then crosses over the Eastern Express Highway at Anand Nagar
junction, passes Nitin Casting Company, then turns left to ESI Road, through Lokmanya Nagar, Shastri Nagar and Pokhran Lake.
The railway also passes through Tikujini Wadi, Brahmand Kolshet and
Saket Society before terminating at Thane College.
Only four km of the entire 21-km route in Thane has encroachments. The
ring railway is to be built on a build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis by
the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).
In the late 1960s and early 70s, members of the Bombay Natural
History Society (BNHS), led by Humayun Abdul Ali, had protested
against the proposal of the Public Works Department to construct
a road from Goregaon to Mulund, that would pass through
the national park. The road project was shelved.
Reactions
Dr Asad Akhtar, conervation officer, Bombay Natural History
Society :
According to the law, no non-forestry activity is allowed on forest land. It is very much
against the ethos of conservation. Only three per cent in the country is
protected. It is indeed very sad.
DEBI Goenka, Bombay Environmental Action Group :
Basically any kind of upgradation of public transport is welcome. It has to be
planned keeping in mind the long-term requirements of the city and the local
conditions. We will not approve any project passing through the national park.
Dr J C Punetha, senior project officer, Worldwide Fund for Nature :
It will be very detrimental. There will be noise pollution too. Such projects
should not be allowed by the union minister for environment and forests or by
the prime minister’s office.
The project means excavation of forest land that will mean disturbance of
nature. Already many animals are killed regularly under speeding lorries on
Ghodbundar Road, a little ahead of Borivali. Such a train connection is of no
use when a wide road exists.
Bittu Sahgal, editor, Sanctuary magazine : Essentially the only reason to cut
through the national park is to save money. The national park must be recognised
as holy ground and therefore no one must be allowed to violate it.
The idea of cutting a rail line is prima facie unacceptable. It is like selling
you kidney to save your bladder.
Nevertheless any form of public transport must be supported in principle and
undertaken through a process of consultation with citizens’ groups.
Satish Tripathi, state forest secretary : The project will have to get
clearances under forest conservation laws. Personally, I feel there is no
justification in destroying forests.
Sunjoy Monga, wildlife enthusiast and photographer : These kind of projects have
to be looked into in greater detail before granting permission. If permission is
given for this project, the pressure on the park will increase.
The time has come for a complete ban and strict protection of our last surviving
wilderness areas that account for barely three per cent of the total land in the
country.
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