Railways seeks Centre's nod for MP project that may fell over 120,000 trees

The Indian Railways has sought final approval from the Centre to begin gauge conversion of the Mhow-Khandwa line in Madhya Pradesh that could lead to felling of over 1.2 lakh trees, officials have said.

Once approval is granted by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the trees could be cleared for the broad gauge line across dense forests in two districts, they said on Thursday.

Officials said the 156-km broad-gauge line will replace the 118-km narrow-gauge track laid during the pre-independence princely state era. The gauge conversion work is ongoing and is expected to be completed within the next two years.

In a statement, Mukesh Kumar, public relations officer of Western Railway's Ratlam division, said the remaining gauge conversion work for the roughly 90-km Mhow (Dr Ambedkar Nagar)-Omkareshwar Road section requires final clearance from the central ministry.

"Construction will take place on about 454 hectares of forest land between Mhow and ...