54,000 Mangroves Will Be Cut Down For Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project & It’s Bad News

With global warming reaching an all-time high resulting in the rapid melting of glaciers, drought, floods at an alarming rate, it’s necessary to say that the planet is going through a major crisis right now. Most of the southern parts of India, especially Chennai, has been facing severe water crisis and environmental scientists suggest that drought will hit Delhi and other major cities in the same degree, or even worse, next year.

Urbanisation and infrastructural development, no matter how impressive, comes at a hefty price. Factors like poisonous emissions from industries, deforestation for construction, poor waste management, etc. has a dangerous impact on the environment.

So when the Maharashtra state government announced its Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, the news wasn’t taken in a positive light. Sources revealed that at least 54,000 mangroves spread across 13.36 hectares in Maharashtra will be razed for the project.

Transport minister Diwakar Raote said that the state government plans on planting 5-times the trees that are going to be cut down for the project, though we do not know if that at all will be done.

“The project will run on high pillars, to ensure the damage to mangroves and the environment is minimal. The floodwater will not enter Navi Mumbai, as no mangroves are being cut in the area”, he said.

He further added that the locals living in the area who are prone to get affected by the project have been offered decent compensation.

Let’s take a minute to address this situation. If we consider that the Maharashtra government does in fact plant 5-times the trees they cut down, it will take at least a few years before they are fully grown with roots capable to hold the soil. Till then, there is nothing strong enough to stop the soil from eroding or holding water underground. The result – severe drought and even worse flooding.

This is not good news, people!