54,000 Mangroves To Be Chopped Off For The Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project

Maharashtra Transport Minister Diwakar Raote has confirmed that 54,000 mangroves in Maharashtra will be chopped off for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project.   

When a Shiv Sena legislator, Maneesha Kayande questioned this project, Mr.Diwakar Raote answered stating that as the project will be built on high pillars there will be less cutting of mangroves. It will not harm the environment much. He further added that for every mangrove cut, five mangroves will be planted.

For this project, over 1,379 hectares will be acquired. Out of this, 724.13 hectares of private land of Gujarat will be acquired and 270.65 hectares of Maharashtra. 188 hectares of private land in Palghar, a district in Maharashtra, will be acquired. Sources have stated that around 3,500 people will be affected in the district.

Another 84.81 hectares of land in the Thane district of the state has already been acquired. This land belongs to 6,589 farmers. Another 39.252 square metres of private land will be purchased in Mumbai’s Vikhroli for this project.

This entire project is going to cost close to 1.1 lakh crore which is said to be funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Mangroves have been the ‘rakshaks’ (protectors) of Mumbai. Destroying them can pose a serious threat to the city as these mangroves that have been protecting Mumbai from the evils of floods and other natural calamities. Situated on the coastlines of the city, mangroves are extremely helpful and beneficial in controlling floods and soil erosion. They also consume huge amounts of carbon dioxide.

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor is said to be a 508 km high-speed railway stretch which is believed to suit the conveniences of professionals who travel back and forth from Mumbai-Ahmedabad quiet often.