The project was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in September last year
The farmers who had approached the Gujarat High Court against the proposed acquisition of their land for the ambitious bullet train project on Monday termed the centre's move to delegate powers to the Gujarat government for acquiring land as "illegal" and "unconstitutional".
Notably, the centre had earlier submitted to the court that state government had initiated the land acquisition process for the project on behalf of the union government as per an October 8 notification through which powers were delegated to Gujarat government for the same. The farmers had contended in their petitions that since the bullet train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai involves Maharashtra, Gujarat, and the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, the appropriate authority to initiate the land acquisition proceedings is the union government and not state.
The farmers have also contended that despite the Supreme Court's directions to dispose of the matters expeditiously, the state and the union governments sought multiple adjournments for three months. Taking benefit of such adjournments, the Ministry of Railways issued the notification whereby power for land acquisition for the bullet train project was delegated to the state government. The petitioners have also contended that the notification was given a retrospective effect to make sure that the actions already initiated by the Gujarat government for land acquisition is justified. "It is nothing but over reaching the process of law and therefore, it is illegal and unconstitutional," the affidavit submitted by the petitioner provides.
Meanwhile, the division bench of chief justice R Subhash Reddy and justice VM Pancholi adjourned the hearing of the matter till October 22 providing time to the union and state governments to file their replies against the contentions raised by the farmers. As per the project details, JICA is extending a soft loan of Rs 88,000 crore to the Indian government to execute the bullet train project.
ZOOMING IN
- The project was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in September last year.
- The bullet train is supposed to have 12 stations across the 500-km stretch.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Bullet train")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}