Farmers refuse to give land for Bullet train

Farmers from Diva, Agasan, Mathardi will gather in front of the Thane District Collector’s office on May 10 in order to protest the state’s acquisition of their lands for the bullet train project. Farmers, who will be at a loss of over 500 acres of land, are protesting the land acquisition for Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Corridor (or bullet train) alleging that the acquisition will add salt to their injuries.

Farmers alleged that in the past the government has taken away their lands for urbanisation and has stopped their sources of livelihood. “The government has always taken away our lands for building MIDC, HUDCO, CIDCO, ports, airports, railway in the name of development. Later, the companies and mills on these plots closed and the land was sold to real estate developers at sky high prices while we got a shabby deal,” said Govind Bhagat, president, Aagri Yuvak Sanghatna (AYUS), Maharashtra.

He said the farmers from Virar to Shil Phata as well as from Gujarat would oppose the project. “We do not want to give away our land for bullet train or any government project. And we will intensify our struggle if we are forced to,” Bhagat said.

Dr Prashant Narnaware, collector of Palghar, who is also acting collector for Thane in the absence of Dr Mahendra Kalyankar (on leave for a month) was unavailable for comments.