After facing significant land acquisition challenges in Maharashtra since November 2019, the country’s inaugural high-speed or bullet train project is making strides towards completion. Government officials have set a target to finalize land acquisition for the ambitious ₹1 lakh crore project by the end of March.
The Chief Secretary of Maharashtra has issued directives to district collectors to expedite the handover of land for the bullet train project. While Gujarat and Dadra and Nagar Haveli have completed land acquisition and possession, Maharashtra is yet to hand over more than 15% of the total required land to the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL). Currently, 959.04 hectares of land have been acquired in Gujarat, with 430.45 hectares in Maharashtra.
Inaugurated in September 2017 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the project initially aimed for completion by 2023. However, land acquisition delays in Maharashtra and the nationwide lockdown in March 2020 have caused delays. The first bullet train’s trial run is now scheduled on the 50-kilometer stretch between Surat and Bilimora in 2026.
The project has obtained necessary permissions for activities like forest, wildlife, mangrove cutting, and tree cutting. Alongside land acquisition, the priority is shifting power transmission lines, with Gujarat leading in completing the relocation of 1,333 infringing lines.
Japanese Involvement
The project’s progress report reveals that the Japanese side initiated price negotiations with a sole bidder for electrical works in October 2023. Operational deadlines for various sections include Surat-Bilimora by July 2026 and Sagarmati-Vapi by August 2027.
The detailed design for signaling and telecom (S&T) has been finalized by the Japanese side, with early orders placed for long-lead S&T equipment for the 12 stations on the route. Five separate packages for early orders are planned, with contracts awarded directly to OEMs [original equipment manufacturers] following Japanese practices.
