Godrej Group moves HC against land acquisition for bullet train project

The Godrej Group has moved the Bombay high court challenging the proposed acquisition of its prime property in suburban Vikhroli for the government’s ambitious bullet train project between Ahmedabad and the metropolis.

The conglomerate has sought a direction to authorities concerned to change the project’s alignment so that it can get nearly 8.6 acres of land belonging to its infrastructure arm Godrej Construction out of the plan.

Of the total 508.17 kilometre of rail track between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, about 21 kilometre is planned to be underground, as per the current alignment of the bullet train project.

One of the entry points to the underground tunnel falls on the land in Vikhroli.

The petition, filed last month, is expected to be heard by a single judge bench of the high court on July 31. Mumbai-based law firm Bachubhai Munim & Co. is advising the company promoted by brothers Jamshyd and Adi Godrej in the dispute.

The bullet train project is also facing opposition from farmers in Gujarat and Maharashtra. Four farmers from Gujarat have petitioned the high court in their state challenging the land acquisition for the project.

The foundation stone for the project was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in September last year in Ahmedabad. The country’s first bullet train will run at a maximum speed of 350 kilometre per hour, covering the stretch in under three hours from the usual seven.

The train will stop at 12 stations out of which four will be in Maharashtra.

MUMBAI: