Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: Environmentalists in Goa have voiced sharp criticism of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) over its “conditional” approval for the proposed doubling of the railway line connecting Goa and Karnataka. The project’s planned route cuts through ecologically critical zones, including a significant tiger habitat, an important elephant corridor, and other sensitive areas, raising alarm among conservationists. Local ecologists argue that even if WII’s conditions are met, the decision fails to adequately protect the delicate ecological balance of the region. They warn that the project is likely to intensify habitat fragmentation, compromise existing wildlife corridors, and elevate the risk of human–wildlife conflicts—all in the name of infrastructural expansion.
The proposed railway doubling is primarily intended to boost coal transportation from Goan ports into Karnataka. However, environmentalists maintain that development must not come at the cost of the region’s biodiversity. Goa’s famed Western Ghats region, which includes the Western Ghats UNESCO Biodiversity Hotspot, is already under considerable ecological pressure, and the railway expansion could further imperil its unique ecosystems.
In response, conservation groups are demanding a thorough reassessment of the project. They are urging authorities to conduct a more comprehensive environmental impact assessment, specifically tailored to the area’s unique ecological vulnerabilities, rather than proceeding with a tentative, conditions-based clearance.
As criticism continues to grow, these groups are calling on both the WII and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to issue public clarifications regarding what exactly the conditional approval entails, and how the associated risks are to be mitigated before any construction begins.
- WII grants conditional approval for Goa–Karnataka rail line doubling.
- Project cuts through tiger and elephant corridors in Western Ghats.
- Environmentalists object, citing habitat loss, fragmentation, and wildlife risks.
- Line mainly intended for coal transport from Goan ports to Karnataka.
- Activists demand a fresh environmental impact study.
- No clarification yet from WII or Environment Ministry.
