DFC through national park approved

The part of the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) being planned by the Railways through the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Mumbai has been cleared by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF). The clearance for about 58 acres by the Forest Advisory Committee of the Ministry has paved the way for other processes such as inviting bids so that work on the Maharashtra section of the DFC can begin. The clearance was required because the boundaries of the park were redrawn some time back. During this process the land occupied by the current Panvel-Vasai railway line which was marked for the DFC became forest land. Thus the FAC?s approval was needed to change its classification from forest to non-forest use for the DFC to go ahead through the stretch. The DFC when completed will considerably boost the freight carrying capacity by introducing double decker, heavy-haul freight trains capable of hauling 15,000 tonnes as against the 3,500 tonne limit of present goods trains. The National Wildlife Board (NWB) has given its approval for the project subject to the construction of underpasses at four places to ensure safe movement of animals. Soft fence-like barriers will guide the animals to the underpasses.