The bullet train project covers a distance of 508.17 km and will cost around Rs 8,000 crore. (Express/File)CHIEF MINISTER Eknath Shinde hast directed all officers to complete the land acquisition for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project and disburse compensation to affected families by September 30.
The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) is a pet project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The project witnessed a slowdown in land acquisition over the last couple of years when the MVA government was in power. Shiv Sena was not willing to part with the ground in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), which is required to set up a terminal for the bullet train project.
Shinde and deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis took a review of all infra projects in the state on Monday in the CM’s war room.
Sources in the state government said that while 99.7 per cent of land acquisition for the project in Gujarat is complete only 75 per cent of land acquisition has been done for the component of the project in Maharashtra.
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The bullet train project covers a distance of 508.17 km and will cost around Rs 8,000 crore. While four stations of the project have been planned in Maharashtra, there are eight stations in Gujarat.
The Union government will provide 50 per cent of the cost while both Maharashtra and Gujarat will spend 25 per cent each. The NHSRCL officials have demanded 4.8 hectares in BKC for the terminal. The CM has asked collectors of Thane, Palghar and Mumbai Suburban to complete the land acquisition process.
The Vadsa-Gadchiroli railway project was also discussed in the meeting, the cost of which has escalated to Rs 1,096 crore and approval for the same will be taken in the cabinet. Shinde has also asked officials to ensure that the forest clearance for the project comes soon.
The CM also asked for speedy completion of the Sewri-Worli connector and he was informed that 84 per cent work on the trans-harbour link was complete. Shinde also directed that the works of water supply projects in Vasai Virar and Mira Bhayander, the two satellite towns of Mumbai, are also finished at the earliest.
Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said that the work on Metro line 4, 7, 2B were moving at a slow pace and despite instructions, the MMRDA management was going very slow on the car shed land acquisition.