Laying of tracks on the 79km Hasanpur-Sakra railway project in Mithilanchal has screeched to a halt after the forest department raised concerns over the apparent threat it poses to the Kusheshwar Asthan Bird Sanctuary in Darbhanga on its route.

Work will remain suspended till a team of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) Dehradun inspects the site and approves the new rail line. If it doesn't approve, the railways will have to change the route.

Kusheshwar Asthan Bird Sanctuary is one of the most famous tourist spots in Darbhanga. It comprises 14 villages, which fall under the Kusheshwar Asthan block in Darbhanga.

Sprawled across 7019.75 acres, these villages have been declared as Kusheshwar Asthan Bird Sanctuary under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Apart from local and Indian birds, a number of birds from different countries migrate here in winter. Nakta, Lalshar, Mail, Dighouch, Gagan, Gairi, Chaha, Karan, Silli, Harial, Adhani, Ratwa, Gaiber (white and black) are some famous bird species seen in the sanctuary.

Principal chief conservator of forests D.K. Shukla said: "Yes, work has been stopped there because of the bird sanctuary."

Asked when the wildlife team would arrive here from Dehradun, Shukla said: "It will come when it is the season for arrival of migratory birds." Prodded further, he said: "The season of migratory birds is in winter. Naturally, work will remain stopped till then."

Chief public relations officer (CPRO), ECR, Rajesh Kumar said: "Work has been stopped on the 10km stretch from Harnagar to Kusheshwar Asthan, as a bird sanctuary is coming in the way of laying down the new track."

He, however, said that a part of the project - from Sakra to Biraul - has been completed and trains are also plying on the route.

The officer said they had not yet received clearance from the state government for the 10km stretch in which the sanctuary falls.

"Work on it can resume only after clearance is received," he said.

In fact, the Bihar State Wetland Development Authority had last year raised its objection to the project, owing to the presence of the bird sanctuary in the vicinity of the new rail line.

The total cost of laying the 79km Hasanpur-Sakra railway line is Rs 325 crore on which Rs 200 crore has already been spent.

The East Central Railway (ECR) has got an allocation of funds of Rs 50 crore for laying Sakri-Hasanpur railway line for 2017-2018 fiscal.

Survey work for this rail line started way back in 1951. In 1953, the Railway Board said a new railway line was not feasible in this area as it comes under a flood-prone zone. In 1972, then railway minister L.N. Mishra started the project again, but once again the project was shelved following the death of the minister in 1975.

In 1997, then railway minister Ram Vilas Paswan laid the foundation for this project. However, once again the project got delayed with Paswan leaving the ministry.

Funds for the project started arriving only after Lalu Prasad became railway minister in 2004.