Lok Sabha Question No. 3156 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-16
Subject: Approval to Hubli-Ankola Railway Line
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: PRATHAP SIMHA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3156 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.03.2016

## APPROVAL TO HUBLI-ANKOLA RAILWAY LINE

3156. SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS  be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the National Green Tribunal has  given  approval  to  the Hubli-Ankola railway line, which passes through the eco-sensitive Western Ghats in Karnataka;
- (b) if so, whether Karnataka has submitted an appropriate proposal for  diversion  of  forest  land  for  this  important  project  and  if  so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  a  number  of  railway  projects  in  Karnataka  have  been referred  to  the  Ministry  of  Environment  and  Forests  for  its clearance;
- (d) if  so,  the  details  of  dates  of  sending  these  proposals  and  the details  of  projects  which  have  been  granted  forest  clearance; and
- (e) the reasons for non-implementation of the approved projects?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## (SHRI MANOJ SINHA)

(a) to (e):   A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  3156  BY    SHRI  PRATHAP  SIMHA  TO  BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 16.03.2016 REGARDING  APPROVAL TO HUBLI-ANKOLA RAILWAY LINE. (a):  Hubli-Ankola New Line project was sanctioned in 1997-98 and land acquisition was taken up. In 2005, a proposal for diversion of forest land was  submitted  to  the  Forest  Department  by  Railways  and  a  joint inspection with Ministry of Environment & Forest(MOEF) (Now Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change) was  completed in June, 2007. In  September  2006,  Central  Empowered  Committee  (CEC)  advised Ministry of Railways to stop all works on the   project. CEC submitted its report to the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India on 03.08.2015, recommending  MOEF  not  to  reconsider/approve  the    proposal  for  the diversion  of  forest    land.  The  Hon'ble  Supreme  Court  transferred  the matter  to  the  National  Green  Tribunal(NGT)  and  after  a  series  of hearings, the NGT has disposed off the case with liberty to the Project proponent i.e. Railways to move the State Government by submitting an appropriate proposal for diversion of land for this project. (b):  Matter  has  been  taken  up  with  Government  of  Karnataka  for diversion of forest land as per fresh proposal. (c)  &  (d):  In  addition  to  Hubli-Ankola  new line project, a proposal for diversion of 2.22 hectare of forest land for Tinaighat-Castle Rock (part of  Hospet-Vasco-da-Gama  doubling)  Project  has  been  submitted  for approval  of  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change through  Government  of  Karnataka  by  Rail  Vikas  Nigam  Limited  on 02.02.2016. (e): All the approved projects have been taken up for implementation. However, some works have been delayed/stalled due to nonavailability  of  land,    shifting  of  services,  construction  of  road  over bridges  and  road  under  bridges  by  road  maintaining  agencies,  apart from availability of adequate funds.

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