New Delhi: National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), the implementing agency of the Railways’ bullet train project, said on June 29 that the design of the station in Thane, Maharashtra has been reworked to reduce the number of affected mangroves from the estimated 53,000 to 32,044.
NHRSCL’s managing director Achal Khare said in a statement that all the required wildlife, forest and CRZ clearance had been taken, however, the forest clearance came with a few conditions. One condition, placed by the environment ministry, required a review of the design of the Thane station to ensure the reduction of the affected mangrove region.
Modification of the design without changing the location was discussed with Japanese engineers, Khare said.
“The parking area and passenger handling area have now been moved out of the mangrove region… earlier twelve hector mangrove region was getting affected in Thane, but now only three hectors will get affected.” The redesign has reduced the number of affected mangroves from an estimated 53,000 mangroves to only 32,044 mangroves, he added. “So this way, we have reduced around 21,000 mangroves.”
Khare further said that the NHSRCL would compensate for the affected mangroves at the rate of 1:5 by depositing money to the mangroves cell, which will do the compensatory afforestation.
“So the number of mangroves which are getting cut is 32,044. Then around 1,60,000 new mangroves will be planted, and the entire financial expense will be borne by NHSRCL. New mangroves will be planted through mangrove cells,” he said.
Earlier on Monday, Maharashtra transport minister Diwakar Raote replied to a question in the state Legislative Council saying as many as 54,000 mangroves spread over 13.36 hectares will be affected because of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor.
(PTI)