Slow land acquisition process delaying Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project

New Delhi, India (Urban Transport News): The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) has informed that it has acquired only 202.65 hectares (46.71 per cent of nearly 433.82 hectares of land required) in Maharashtra for the construction of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project so far. Of the 202.65 hectares, no land has been acquired in the Mumbai's suburban area yet. 

"105.84 hectares of land has been acquired in Palghar of the 288.86 required, 96.81 hectares of land in Thane of the 140.32 required and no land of the 4.82 hectares of land required in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC)," said NHSRCL official reported HT.

According to the detailed project report, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Corridor will cover a total of 508.17 km journey. Out of 155.76 km will be covered in Maharashtra, 384.04 km in Gujarat and rest 4.3 km in Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

“The process of land acquisition is ongoing in Maharashtra and we are in constant discussion with the state government officials. We are hoping to acquire more land in the coming months,” said officials.

Due to delay in land acquisition process, tendering process for construction of BKC HSR Station had earlier deferred the bid submission date till April 2022. The delay is being attributed to the shifting of a petrol pump on another land allocated by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).

The deadline of launching operation of first Bullet Train in India has been deffrered three times. However, construction work has already started in some section of Gujarat and the first phase between Surat and Bilimora is expected to be opened by 2026. 

The estimated cost of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Bullet Train project is ₹1,10,000 crore which may be increased to extention of deadling and slow work process. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will provide financial assistance of ₹88,000 crore on ODA loan basis.