Bullet train to affect 54,000 mangroves, Maharashtra denies flood risk

Mumbai: As many as 54,000 mangroves spread over 13.36 hectares will be affected because of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail corridor, commonly called the bullet train project, state transport minister Diwakar Raote said Monday.

He was replying to a question raised by Shiv Sena legislator Maneesha Kayande in the state Legislative Council.

"There will be no chopping of trees and there will be no threat of flooding to some parts of Navi Mumbai. The pillars (of the project) will be high and hence will not damage the environment much," he added.

Raote said the state government has proposed to plant five plants for each one that will be cut for the multi-billion dollar project.

"As per my information, farmers are keen on handing over their land for appropriate remuneration," Raote informed in his written reply.

The project, expected to cost over Rs. 1 lakh crore, is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Replying to another question raised by Congress MLC Sharad Ranpise, Raote said, "The proposed land acquisition for the bullet train project is 1,379 hectares of which 724.13 hectares is private land in Gujarat while 270.65 hectares is in Maharashtra."

"As many as 188 hectares of private land in Palghar district is going to be acquired of which 2.95 hectares has been purchased as per the ''private negotiation'' policy of the state government. As many as 3,498 people from Palghar will be affected due to the bullet train project," Raote added.

"In Thane district, 84.81 hectares belonging to 6,589 farmers has been acquired of which 2.95 hectares has been purchased as per the private negotiation policy," he said.

Private negotiation is a policy introduced by the state government some years back where it buys out land directly from the owner instead of following the land acquisition procedure which normally takes more time.