Bullet train: Amid resistance from farmers, Modi govt signs up for second tranche of Japanese loan

India and Japan signed the loan agreement for the second instalment of the 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Corridor (MAHCR), or the bullet train project, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Japan, which concluded on Monday.

Land acquisition from farmers for the bullet train project, both in Maharashtra and Gujarat, however, remains a significant concern keeping the bullet train project from going ahead, even as New Delhi reaffirmed to Tokyo during PM’s visit that it would complete the land acquisition formalities by December this year.

“The process of land acquisition has begun between Mumbai & Ahmedabad with target of completion by December 2018,” said a statement from India’s Ministry of External Affairs on the conclusion of Modi’s two-day trip to the Pacific nation.

A new petition by farmers from Palghar, challenging the land acquisition rules, was filed in the Bombay High Court last week. According to reports, the farmers have challenged the Maharashtra Government’s power to acquire their lands under a 2018 state legislation, Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Maharashtra Amendment) Act, 2018. The petition reportedly argues that since the bullet train project spans two states, land acquisition policies would be bound by a central legislation, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

Hurdles from farmers notwithstanding, the Prime Minister has reiterated his commitment to conclude the politically significant project by 2022, a year ahead of the original deadline of 2023, to coincide with 75th year of Indian Independence celebrations.

“Prime Minister Modi expressed his appreciation for the significant contribution of Japan’s ODA to the socio-economic development of India,” said the MEA.

The ministry further informed that Japan’s International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the nodal outfit for disbursal of funds for the project had completed its “appraisal mission” over the entire stretch in September this year.

Updating on the status of the ambitious rail project, the MEA said, “Joint Measurement Survey has been completed for 328 km out of 487km. The entire project, including the High-Speed Rail training institute, has been divided into 26 contract packages, out of which 4 packages are already awarded.” Nearly 497 km of the proposed route will be on an elevated corridor.

The National High-Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRCL), constituted by the Ministry of Railways in February 2016, is the implementing agency for the project.

Besides the MAHSR project, Japan is also majorly involved in funding other infrastructure projects such as the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor and the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor.

Nearly ₹38,000 crore of the ₹50,000 crore promised for the Dedicated Freight Corridor is coming from Japan, India’s foreign secretary had informed reporters on the eve of PM’s departure to Japan last week.

During his two-day visit to Japan, Prime Minister Modi also inked agreements with Japan on naval cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, healthcare, skill development and digital partnership among others.