Speculation is around the corner that about 7,000 trees are proposed to be felled for the proposed InterModal Station Project (IMS) at Ajani in Nagpur. Regional office of National Highway Authority of India clarified that the IMS project is in resonance with Environment Impact Assessment. As per Detailed Project Study approximately only 1,940 trees are proposed to be felled. It is also proposed that the maximum number of these trees shall be replanted or transplanted as per the advice of Forest Department and Forest Experts. Regional office of NHAI also informed that a compensatory afforestation of 25,000 trees shall be carried out by the NHAI on the available vacant spaces on the National Highway Projects land in and around Nagpur.
InterModal Station proposed to be constructed at Ajni, with a Land Acquisition of 44.4 acres of Indian Railway land, available adjacent to Railway tracks, for handling capacity of over 3 lakhs passengers per day with a facility of Bus Stand, Railway Station and a Metro Station in the proposed vicinity. This Project is taken up for development of the city of Nagpur in the best interest of people as currently Nagpur Central Station is heavily congested and has limited scope of expansion. There are no organized bus terminuses for intra-city & inter-city buses. This is leading to an increase in road traffic and corresponding pollution across the city.
The proposed InterModal Station will also save 16,31,737 litres of fuel and prevent 75,65,196 Kgs. of Carbon Dioxide emissions over a period of up to year 2050.
Accordingly, this facility is being developed in an environmentally friendly manner, with sufficient open and green spaces incorporated in the design. The development of this facility shall lead to environmental benefits including reduction in congestion and pollution.
