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CM Fadnavis pushes for June launch of railway track
Though the Sena opposed the project, its Transport Minister Diwakar Raote has never been aggressive in his opposition to it.
Mumbai: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed the officials to speed up the groundwork for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project so as to begin construction in June.
Mr Fadnavis on Monday chaired a meeting of top state and central officials associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) headline project that will connect Mumbai and Ahmedabad by a high-speed rail corridor.
The state government is ignoring the opposition to the project from the Shiv Sena, Maharashtra Navanirman Sena and the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party combine.
Though the Sena opposed the project, its Transport Minister Diwakar Raote has never been aggressive in his opposition to it.
Another Sena Minister Eknath Shinde, who heads the public works department, facilitated land acquisition in Thane district by asking for compensation of five times of the guideline rate.
Niti Ayog vice-chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar, officials of the High Speed Rail Corporation, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) commissioner U.P.S. Madan, Urban development department principal secretary Nitin Karir, district collectors of Thane and Palghar and other officials attended the meeting.
Mr Fadnavis and Dr Kumar reviewed the land acquisition process and directed the officials to disburse the compensation amount without delay.
BJP leaders believe that Mr Fadnavis is not giving much importance to Sena’s opposition to the high-speed rail project and the Nanar refinery project. Despite some opposition from local residents, the land acquisition is progressing smoothly in 10 villages in Thane district.
