NEW DELHI: After years of stalemate, the works on India's first high-speed bullet train project in Maharashtra side has got momentum with all required clearances obtained from the BJP-allied state government. Earlier, the project that started at an estimated budget of Rs 1, 08,000 crores in 2015, was allegedly delayed due to the previous government's 'stalling tactics' on Maharashtra side.
Union Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, a day ago after the site inspection in Mumbai, said that all the tenders for civil construction work have been floated for Maharashtra side after obtaining all clearances from the state government.
"The work has got momentum in Maharashtra side on this project. I would like to thank the new government of Maharashtra for having given the railways all clearances", the railway minister told the media, hoping that the country will see the first set of bullet train running by 2026 between Surat and Bilimora in Gujarat.
According to official sources, the railway needs around 433.82 hectares of land for developing tracks and other associated infrastructure for the 506.17km long Mumbai- Ahmadabad bullet train are required in the territory of Maharashtra. "Out of a total 433.83 hectares of land, 313 hectares of land have been
acquired for the project now. In the same way, out of 954.3 hectares of land, 942.9 hector of land in Gujarat side -which 98.90% of total required land, have already been acquired and works progress in advance in Gujarat side", informed the railway minister in the Rajya Sabha recently in a written reply to a
member.
The minister further added that a lump sum amount of Rs 28,441.65 crore out of an initial sanctioned budget of Rs 1,08,000 crore has already been utilized on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed rail(MAHSR) project as on June 30 in 2022.
In total, the MAHSR project requires around 1396 hectares of land between Mumbai via Dadra and Nagar haveli UT. Actually, the MAHSR project was launched with a deadline to completion by 2023 but its now delayed by five years due to delays in land acquisition in Maharashtra.