Forest Panel Clears New Railway Line Through Critical Tiger Corridor in Madhya Pradesh

The Union environment ministry's forest advisory committee has granted in-principle forest clearance for a new railway line that will pass through the Satpura-Melghat tiger corridor in Madhya Pradesh. This corridor is a vital pathway for wildlife such as tigers, sloth bears, leopards, and deer.

The proposed third railway line, part of the Jujharpur-Dhodramohar section, lies on the Central Railway's busy Itarsi-Nagpur route. According to the committee's June 10 meeting minutes and official proposal documents, the Central Railway requested the diversion of 8.0357 hectares of forest land, including areas within the wildlife corridor connecting the Satpura and Melghat tiger reserves.

The in-principle clearance, known as Stage-I, comes with a condition: final approval will only be granted after the railway line section, along with two others on the Itarsi-Nagpur route, receives wildlife clearance from the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife. This ensures that the project undergoes further scrutiny regarding its impact on wildlife.

The decision has raised concerns among conservationists, who emphasize the importance of the Satpura-Melghat corridor for maintaining genetic diversity and safe passage for animals. The railway line could potentially disrupt animal movements and increase the risk of train-animal collisions. However, the conditional approval provides a mechanism to assess and mitigate such risks before final green lights are given.

The project is part of efforts to expand railway capacity on a key freight and passenger route, balancing infrastructure development with environmental safeguards. The final outcome depends on the wildlife clearance process, which will involve detailed studies and recommendations.