Resolve pending issues for bullet train project: NHSRCL to Maharashtra govt

Anticipating a change in Maharashtras stand on the Centres ambitious bullet train project with a new government in the state the National HighSpeed Rail Corporation Limited NHSRCL has written to the states chief secretary urging him to intervene to resolve longpending issues stalling the projectThe letter was written by former NHSRCL chief Satish Agnihotri on July 7 the day he was sacked by the Railway Board on charges of corruption highlighting the roadblocks for the project in MaharashtraThe project in the state had become a nonstarter primarily due to problems relating to acquiring government land and forest areas With Chief Minister Eknath Shinde being supported by the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP officials believe that the project will now receive the push that it needs to take off in MaharashtraIn the letter Agnihotri has said one of the most important longpending issues which will affect the commencement of the work in Maharashtra is the clearance under the Forest Conservation Act 1980 He said while the application for the clearance after compliance of conditions and the payment of the mandatory charges was submitted in March 2021 the issue is still pending with the Maharashtra forest departmentAlso Read Japan to India Bullet trains to be modified for temperature dust weight trials to begin in 2026Your kind intervention is requested in resolving aforesaid issues for providing encumbrancefree land at the earliest and expedite the acquisition of remaining land in Thane and Palghar districts Agnihotri saidHe further stated that the Japanese have been requesting the likely dates for the commencement of the civil work in Maharashtra as the tenders for underground stations at the Bandra Kurla Complex BKC and an undersea tunnel were cancelled after repeated postponements over the last couple of yearsThe letter also contains a list of 16 key locations where the project is facing pendency from the Maharashtra government due to issues related to land acquisition a petrol pump that needs to be shifted diversion of forest land the shifting of a DC Earthing Station a rolling stock depot the approval for tree transplantation or cutting proposals among othersThe progress of land acquisition in Maharashtra for the MumbaiAhmedabad highspeed rail project has moved at a snails pace with 72 per cent 313 hectares out of a total requirement of 434 hectares of the land needed for the project acquired However the physical possession has only been for 39 per cent of the land which is 168 hectaresOn the other hand contracts for civil works stations and track work have been awarded for the entire project length of 352 km in Gujarat and Dadra and Nagar Haveli where 99 per cent of the land is required for the project has been acquiredThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever