While a third line between Kalyan and Kasara may be good news for commuters on the Central Railway (CR), the project will involve the hacking of over 900 trees in a forest area. Furthermore, to the shock of environmentalists and wildlife conservationists, the proposal submitted by the CR to MOEF&CC (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change) mentions snakes and rabbits as the only wildlife found in an area that is part of the default Eco-Sensitive Zone and a wildlife sanctuary. According to the proposal, the line passes through the default Eco-Sensitive Zone of Tansa Wildlife Sanctuary and a total of 921 trees are expected to be felled. A joint site inspection was conducted by officials of railway and state forest department on July 22, 2022.

According to the proposal, the Kalyan-Kasara railway line is one of the most congested stretches in the country. File pic