38,000 trees in Maha to be hacked to build Dedicated Freight Corridor

At least 38,000 trees in Maharashtra will be sacrificed for the Rs 44500 crore-Dedicated Freight Corridor — which will demarcate goods trains from passenger trains — connecting Mumbai with Dadri on the western corridor. In Mumbai and it's metropolitan region, 6,000 trees are expected to be hacked between Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) and Gholvad.

Sources from Corporation of India Ltd (DFCCIL) said that they have sought permission from various civic bodies for cutting trees. "As of now we have received permissions to cut 40 per cent of trees. We are going to transplant them as well," said an official from DFCCIL.

The process of cutting the trees is expected to begin soon as this is needed for carrying out work on this 1464-km stretch of which 427 km falls under the belt of Maharashtra.

The DFC is expected to clear the road traffic as freight trains connecting the ports will then be able to ferry containers at 100 mph instead of the current 25 kmph.