Agriculture land most affected by Konkan railway: study

A New study examined the impact of the 760 km long Konkan Railway, one of India's largest post-independence railway projects, on land use and cover. The study challenges assumptions about the adverse effects of railways on the environment and provides valuable insights into the long-term consequences of major infrastructure projects.

The railway line, which started in 1993, was controversial because it went through wetlands, forests, and other sensitive areas. Looking at forest cover alone doesn’t fully show how healthy an ecosystem is. But this study is one of the first to examine how the whole Konkan Railway has affected agricultural land use over a long time.

Transport infrastructure is acknowledged for its role in economic development, and the Konkan Railway has been a critical project connecting Mumbai to Mangalore. During its construction and operation phases, the railway has undergone intense scrutiny due to its passage through an ecologically sensitive and biodiversity-rich zone.

Konkan Railway impacts land and environment

The Konkan Railway, which passes through Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, and Kerala, faced opposition in 1992 from the Goa Foundation for potentially ruining khazan lands. Despite this, the Bombay High Court approved its construction. Now, with approximately 27 million annual passengers, it is crucial for the southwest coast.

The study examined changes in land use, including agricultural land, forests, water bodies, and open and built-up areas, within 30km of a railway line. Open land refers to areas like salt flats or quarries while built-up land implies urban areas. Water bodies encompass streams, lakes, etc.

The study used satellite data and special techniques to see how the Konkan Railway changed the land. It found that the railway led to more open spaces and built-up land, but it didn’t hurt the forests. This goes against the common belief that big projects like this always lead to long-term loss of forests.

The researchers used a special way of classifying satellite images to look directly at how land use and cover changed. They also used a method called difference-in-differences (DID) to analyze how the railway affected different types of land cover.

To make their findings stronger, the researchers compared areas with stations to areas without stations along the Konkan Railway. They found that both types of areas were affected in similar ways, showing that the railway had a wide impact on land use.

The study also looked at the environmental issues related to building railways, such as tunneling, blasting, and removing vegetation. The researchers used special techniques and a setup that’s like an experiment to analyze the long-term impact on land use and cover. They highlighted the importance of managing the environment when developing infrastructure.

Examining Konkan Railway Environmental Controversy

The study titled “Looking beyond the idyllic representations of the rural: The Konkan Railway controversy and middle-class environmentalism in India” examines the environmental controversy surrounding the Konkan Railway. This mega-infrastructure project, which was launched post-independence, has been a subject of debate due to its potential impact on environmental preservation.

The study employs a framework that integrates the environmental values, beliefs, and behavior of individuals and groups with a historical understanding of political economy and ecology. It argues that essentialist and oversimplified environmental discourses, which lack scientific credibility and historical facts, often influence policy-making, especially when channelled by the middle classes.

The researchers argue for a better understanding of our present concerns and guiding decisions and policies to deal with the problems we currently face. This requires unmasking the romanticization of the countryside and replacing the idyllic version of the past with a nuanced historical understanding of the interaction between nature and culture.

The study also locates the controversy over the Konkan Railway within the frames used to study Indian environmentalism. The aim is to improve our understanding of the regional, ideological, and cultural pluralities in environmental values, beliefs, and behavior of the middle class in India.

Railways built without environmental clearance

Building railways doesn’t need environmental clearance. This means that, unlike most big development projects, railway companies don’t need to do Environmental Impact Assessments before they start building. Under the Forest (Conservation) Act, project developers have to plant new trees for any trees they cut down for the project. But because they don’t need environmental clearance, we don’t know much about how railway projects affect the environment and land use in the long term.

The researchers used satellite data and a “difference-in-difference” (DID) analysis to look at land use change in 59,444 square kilometres along the railway line. A DID analysis compares areas that got an intervention with areas that didn’t, over a long time.

From 1991 to 2014, Agricultural land saw the biggest decrease of 21.4 percentage points compared to the comparison region 20 kilometres from the railway line, and 22.9 percentage points at 30 kilometres from the railway line, in 2008.

As debates on the environmental impact of large infrastructure projects intensify, this study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of their consequences. The research prompts a reevaluation of the role of megaprojects in achieving sustainability goals and highlights the importance of incorporating environmental considerations into planning and execution.

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