Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: In a significant development, the Regional Empowered Committee (REC) of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has deferred a decision on the contentious Mollem railway doubling project in Goa. This move comes after a meeting where the committee sought additional clarification on the project’s details from its proponents. The project, which aims to double the railway track between Tinaighat in Karnataka and Vasco da Gama in Goa, has been marred by environmental concerns and legal setbacks.
The Goa government and Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd. are seeking to revoke an abeyance order on the diversion of 15.6 hectares of forest land along the Kulem-Kalem section. However, environmentalists and scientists have strongly opposed the project, citing its socio-ecological impacts and questioning its feasibility. In a representation to the REC, they argued that the project is an inefficient use of resources and urged the committee to follow the Supreme Court’s directive to scrap it.
The Supreme Court had revoked wildlife clearances for the project in 2022 based on recommendations from the Central Empowered Committee. Despite this, efforts to revive the project continue, sparking concerns among environmental groups. The REC’s decision to defer the proposal indicates that the project’s fate remains uncertain, pending further review and clarification.
