In a recent development, the Bombay High Court gave green signal to the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited i.e NHSRCL to commence work of Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project in Vikhroli.
The High Court sanctioned the construction of the ventilation shafts of the proposed Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train at Vikhroli. This move is taken to speed up the work process as the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project is already facing delay because of the rift between the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), Godrej and Boyce Manufacturing Company.
This delay is occurred because of the process made by NHSRCL for the acquisition of 39,540 sq ft of land owned by Godrej at Vikhroli. Whereas the private entity proposed to take another site to the National High-Speed Rail Corporation limited. But the company refused to take the same due to the Mangroves that covered the entire area and it was not appropriate for development.
After which, Godrej proposed another site and NHSRCL gave an ‘in-principle acceptance’ for the same. The NHRSCL will now acquire the advised site according to the provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.
The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train is a high-speed rail corridor and is estimated to be developed at a cost of Rs. 1.1 lakh crore. The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) would bear nearly 81 percent of the cost through a 50-year loan at an interest rate of 0.1 percent with 15 years as tenure for repayment.
Both, the Gujarat and Maharashtra state Government will bear the remaining cost and the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project is likely to be completed by December 2023.