Bullet Train Plan Stalls On Land Row

Private land acquisition hurdles in Maharashtra to hit deadlines

The Narendra Modi government’s Shinkansen bullet train project is threatening to go off the rails as conflicts over acquisition of private land persist in Maharashtra.

Ahead of the annual summit between Mr. Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on October 2829, State officials have warned of an imminent delay in meeting the December 2018 deadline for completion of survey and acquisition. They say the progress is “saddening and disappointing.”

Time-bound schedule

Unless the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) implements an urgent timebound schedule, the project is likely to miss its first deadline for acquisition of private plots, warns the latest status report submitted by the office of the Collector of Palghar.