MNS men disrupt bullet train survey
This is 2nd such incident this month.
Mumbai: Members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Monday disrupted and stopped survey work related to the acquisition of land for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project in Thane district. The developments came in the wake of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray raising questions over the benefits of the project for Maharashtra in one of his recent rallies. Earlier this month, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena workers had disrupted work in Palghar district in a similar manner.
The land measurement process was being undertaken in the Shilphata area of Shil village in neighbouring Thane district by the state’s public works department.
Officials said that MNS workers disrupted the process several times and it had to be suspended in the afternoon, despite the presence of a posse of police, after the mob opposing it grew in number considerably.
“We will continue to oppose this measurement drive as we want jobs and not a bullet train. There will be flash protests as well to force the authorities to suspend the work,” Avinash Jadhav, MNS’s Thane district chief said.
Mr Thackeray has been a vocal opponent of the multi-billion dollar project and has, during his public rallies, appealed to farmers along the route of the high-speed corridor to not allow the Railways to acquire their lands.
The 508-kilometre Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, estimated to cost Rs 1,08,000 crore, is being built with the Japanese government providing a loan to cover 81 per cent of the cost.
The project, being constructed by a special purpose vehicle called the National High Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRC), is targeted for commissioning by 2022-2023.