Around 6.5 hectares of forest land in Thane and Shahapur will be diverted for a new railway line (AI image)
Under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, as amended, diversion of forest land for non-forestry purposes requires prior approval from the central govt through the Union environment ministry. The estimated cost is Rs 1,619.96 crore.The cost will be shared equally by the railways and the Maharashtra govt, according to project documents. Forest diversion is necessary because the alignment follows the existing railway corridor and cannot feasibly be shifted elsewhere without increasing land requirements, according to project documents.
Central Railway (CR) has submitted an application on the Parivesh portal seeking approval for the diversion of forest land for the project. The Kalyan-Asangaon section currently has two electrified tracks, with work on a third line under way. Suburban locals, mail and express trains, and freight services use the same pair of tracks, leaving limited flexibility to accommodate additional services or recover from disruptions. Non-forest land has been used wherever possible to minimise forest diversion.