Environment concerns resurface as project cuts through Bandipur Tiger Reserve 

New Delhi/Mysuru: The Centre appears to be reviving the controversial Nilambur–Nanjangud railway line project, which proposes to connect Karnataka and Kerala via Wayanad and the Bandipur Tiger Reserve.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw yesterday said that E. Sreedharan, former Managing Director of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, met him and held detailed discussions on a proposed new railway line between Nilambur in Malappuram district of Kerala and Nanjangud in Mysuru district.

According to the Minister, Sreedharan offered several suggestions to strengthen rail infrastructure and improve connectivity in Kerala. In a post on X, Vaishnaw said the veteran engineer had emphasised the importance of the Nilambur–Nanjangud rail link.

Kerala has been keen on implementing the project, arguing that the rail line would reduce travel time between Kochi and Bengaluru to about seven hours, compared to the present 11-hour journey. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had also called for the revival of the Nilambur–Nanjangud railway project during his 2024 re-election campaign.

2024 protests in Mysuru

It may be recalled that in January 2024, ‘Save Bandipur’ protests erupted in Mysuru after the Kerala Government and Southern Railway conducted an aerial survey to prepare the final report for the Nilambur–Nanjangud line.

Environmental activists strongly opposed the project as the proposed alignment passes through the Bandipur Tiger Reserve.

They argued that neither the construction of the railway line nor the opening of night traffic through Bandipur and Nagarahole would benefit the people of Karnataka. Instead, they warned that such initiatives could severely impact the fragile ecosystem and pose a threat to flora and fauna in these ecologically sensitive zones.

Environmental groups have consistently opposed the Nilambur–Nanjangud railway line, citing concerns over the disruption of wildlife habitats, increased risk of animal deaths and the overall degradation of the delicate ecosystems of Bandipur.