Railway project Railway engineering Transportation Engineering Environmental Impact Assessment

1. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ASSESSMENT
By
Ravi Kumar GARRE,
Assistant Professor,
Department of Civil Engineering,
St. Peter’s Engineering College,
Hyderabad.

2. Contents covered
• Environmental Impact Assessment
• Railway Project
• Check list of EIA
• Structure of EIA Document
• Methodology for preparing EIA

3. Environmental Impact Assessment
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a
process of evaluating the likely environmental
impacts of a proposed project or development,
taking into account inter-related socio-
economic, cultural and human-health impacts,
both beneficial and adverse.

4. Environmental Impact Assessment
UNEP defines Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) as a tool used to identify the
environmental, social and economic impacts of
a project prior to decision-making. It aims to
predict environmental impacts at an early stage
in project planning and design, find ways and
means to reduce adverse impacts, shape
projects to suit the local environment and
present the predictions and options to
decision-makers.

5. Railway Project
• Survey, fixing of alignment, and designing Road and Railway.
• Embankment and cuttings for Road/Rail.
• Bridges (Major/Minor including ROB/RUB) for Rail/Road.
• Steel girder fabrication and erection.
• Laying of ballast and concrete sleepers and rails i.e. track
laying (Manually & Mechanically).
• Flash butt welding for long rails at site.
• Signalling and electrification of Railway Yards.
• General Electrification of Railway works.
• Maintenance of railroads and rail infrastructure
• Allied services such as service buildings, railway stations and
terminals
• Urban railways on elevated sections.

6. EIA Policies in India
• The Indian experience with Environmental
Impact Assessment began over few years
back. It started in 1976-77 when the Planning
Commission asked the Department of
Science and Technology to examine the river-
valley projects from an environmental angle.
• Till 1994, environmental clearance from the
Central Government was an administrative
decision and lacked legislative support.

7. EIA Policies in India
• On 27 January 1994, the then Union Ministry
of Environment and Forests, under the
Environmental (Protection) Act 1986,
promulgated an EIA notification making
Environmental Clearance (EC) mandatory for
expansion or modernisation of any activity or
for setting up new projects listed in Schedule 1
of the notification.

8. EIA Policies in India
• The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF)
notified new EIA legislation in September 2006.
 The notification makes it mandatory for various projects such
as mining, thermal power plants, river valley, infrastructure
(road, highway, ports, harbours and airports) and industries
including very small electroplating or foundry units to get
environment clearance.
 However, unlike the EIA Notification of 1994, the new
legislation has put the clearing projects on the state
government depending on the size/capacity of the project.

9. Environmental effects of Railway
projects
• The construction and operation of railways
implies changes in the surrounded landscape that
alter the microclimate, soil, and hydrological
dynamics, contributing to the degradation of the
natural habitat for many species.
• During operation, the main disturbances caused
by railways are air, soil and water pollution, as
well as noise and vibration, which may alter
species richness and species abundance.

10. Environmental effects of Railway
projects
• It is important that to know, the level of
disturbance caused by railways due to noise and
vibration, air, soil and water pollution, and soil
erosion.
• Soil and hydrology contamination may affect
vegetation and aquatic fauna while noise can
affect terrestrial vertebrates.
• Noise, light, and vibration due to railways have
been observed to reduce the abundance and
richness of some insects, amphibians, and birds,
and to cause avoidance behaviour on predators.

11. Noise and Vibration
• The sources of noise – freight wagons, high speed
trains, locomotives passing and accelerating,
vibrations and vehicle coupling
• Noise levels vary, depending on the landscape
and weather.
• Train noise causes – stress in body, headache,
high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases,
heart attack, etc.
• Create problems to birds and reduce their
population.

12. Air Pollution
• The emission of gases from traffic constitutes an
important source of environmental pollution all over
the world.
• The main pollutants emitted from the diesel-powered
locomotives are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4),
carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), nitrous
oxide (N2O), sulphur dioxide (SO2), non-methane
volatile organic compounds (NMVOC), particulate
matter (PM) and hydrocarbon (HC).
• Can affect human, vegetation, animals, water and soil.

13. Soil Pollution
• As most products of vehicle emissions are
neither biologically nor chemically degraded,
they can affect the growth of plants and
ecosystems.
• In fact, plants and soil organisms are the first
recipients of the emission pollutants.
• High concentration levels of heavy metals,
such as lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) are often
found in the vicinity of railways.

14. Water Pollution
• Infrastructures associated with railways (e.g.,
leakages of petroleum products from fuel
storage tanks) contribute, together with
pollutants, to aquatic ecosystems.
• high concentrations of PAHs and heavy metals
in waterways bisected or bordered by
railways.
• Affects aquatic eco system and all.

15. Soil Erosion and Changes in Hydrology
• The abrupt change of soil required to establish the railway
embankment leads to vegetation loss, compresses the soil,
and compromises water drainage. Thus, soil becomes
exposed and subject to an increasing runoff that promotes
its erosion.
• The erosion of rail embankments can result in a washing
out of sediments that cause water pollution.
• Railway construction parallel to streams can result in
hydrological disconnections that dry the soils.
• Such disconnections can have a significant impact on the
ecological function of riparian landscapes by negatively
affecting floodplain evolution, ecosystemand associated
biodiversity.

16. There is evidence that disturbance from noise, lights, and
vibrations associated with the construction and operation of
the railway affect some species, and this can occur at various
life cycles. In contrast, other studies suggest that wildlife
ignores or adapts to railway disturbances. As observed for
roads, the severity of railway disturbance depends on the
species’ bio-ecological features and on the degree of the
disturbance. However, little is known about their role in
species viability. We now review the main findings on wildlife
behaviour responses to railway disturbance.

17. Check list of EIA
1. Land environment
2. Water environment
3. Vegetation
4. Fauna
5. Air environment
6. Aesthetics
7. Socio-economic aspects
8. Energy conservation
9. Environment management plan

18. Structure of EIA document
 Introduction
 Project description
 Description of the
environment
 Anticipated
environmental impacts
and mitigation measures
 Analysis of alternatives
 Environmental
monitoring program
 Additional studies
 Project benefits
 Environmental cost
benefit analysis
 Environmental
management plan
 Summery and
conclusion
 Disclosure of consultants
engaged

19. Methodology for preparing EIA
1. Screening
2. Scoping
3. Public hearing
4. appraisal

20. Stakeholders in the EIA Process
• Those who propose the project
• The environmental consultant who prepare
EIA on behalf of project proponent
• Pollution Control Board (State or National)
• Public has the right to express their opinion
• The Impact Assessment Agency
• Regional centre of the MoEF

21. Importance of EIA
• EIA links environment with development for
environmentally safe and sustainable development.
• EIA provides a cost effective method to eliminate or
minimize the adverse impact of developmental projects.
• EIA enables the decision makers to analyse the effect of
developmental activities on the environment well before
the developmental project is implemented.
• EIA encourages the adaptation of mitigation strategies in
the developmental plan.
• EIA makes sure that the developmental plan is
environmentally sound and within the limits of the capacity
of assimilation and regeneration of the ecosystem.

22. Salient features of 2006 Amendments
to EIA notification
• Environment Impact Assessment Notification of 2006 has
decentralized the environmental clearance projects by
categorizing the developmental projects in two categories,
i.e., Category A (national level appraisal) and Category B
(state level appraisal).
 Category A projects are appraised at national level by
Impact Assessment Agency (IAA) and the Expert
Appraisal Committee (EAC) and Category B projects
are apprised at state level.
 State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority
(SEIAA) and State Level Expert Appraisal Committee
(SEAC) are constituted to provide clearance to
Category B process.

23. Salient features of 2006 Amendments
to EIA notification
• After 2006 Amendment the EIA cycle comprises of four stages:
 Screening
 Scoping
 Public hearing
 Appraisal
• Category A projects require mandatory environmental clearance
and thus they do not undergo the screening process.
 Category B projects undergoes screening process and they
are classified into two types.
Category B1 projects (Mandatorily requires EIA).
 Category B2 projects (Do not require EIA).
• Thus, Category A projects and Category B, projects undergo the
complete EIA process whereas Category B2 projects are excluded
from complete EIA process.

24. THANK YOU