Bombay high court to hear bullet train project case on December 5

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government advocate general on Monday informed the Bombay high court that the land acquisition process on the entire line of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project has been completed except the 10-acre Vikhroli plot owned by Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Co Ltd.
Senior counsel Navroze Seervai agreed that there was urgency in the matter. The HC said it would hear the matter at length from December 5 for three consecutive days to hear Seervai and assigned two dates for the AG later.
Before a bench headed by Justice R D Dhanuka, advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni for the state said there was urgency in the matter and wanted an early hearing.
The State and the company, the largest private landlord in Mumbai, are at loggerheads over the acquisition process, with company having challenged the recent award of Rs 264 crore questioning the government’s tardiness in coming out with the figure over two years after a hearing.
The figure is less than half of the amount decided earlier as a settlement, it said, also challenging the validity of a provision under Right to Fair Compensation Act that grants State "unfettered" power to extend the award deadline.
The State in turn said the company delayed things which the company in rejoinder refuted.
The project will run a distance of 508km of which 21 km will be underground.