MUMBAI: The
bullet train may roll out in two phases as the National High Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRC) has been facing resistance in Maharashtra to acquire
land for the ambitious project that will connect Mumbai to Ahmedabad in around two hours.
The country’s first bullet train will run at a maximum speed of 350kmph, covering the stretch in under three hours from the usual seven. The train will halt at 12 stations, of which four will be in Maharashtra.
A source said, “We are aiming to open the entire corridor between Mumbai and Ahmedabad by August 15, 2022. But if land acquisition hurdles plague the project, we will be able to roll it out by this date only between Billimora and Ahmedabad. It will help connect two most important cities, Surat and Ahmedabad, in Gujarat.” This distance is almost 315km and can be covered in less than 1.15 minutes.
Maharashtra government has begun acquiring 353 hectares for the project but 1,400ha is needed for the entire project, a major portion of which falls in Gujarat.
NHRC had set a deadline for land acquisition by December 2018. Land has to be acquired in 108 villages in Palghar and Thane, for which a notification has been issued. It plans to acquired land through consent and has set aside around Rs 10,000 crore for it. The width to be acquired is 17.5m for the 508km corridor.
As per initial estimates, 50,000 trees are to be planted but the actual cutting of trees may reduce once the survey is completed. NHSRC hopes to plant five trees for each one cut.
So far, only 0.9ha has been acquired for setting up the terminal at
BKC. A joint measurement survey is being completed at many places.
In May, around 3,000 farmers had protested after NHSRC officials landed in Palghar for the project. Several meeting and rallies have been organised in Thane and Palghar district, apart from Mumbai, by farmers and land-owners to protest against the acquisition.
Image used for representational purpose only
