Panel didn't address most objections to bullet train

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has clarified that the state-appointed sub-committee met twice before clearing the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project, unlike what had been reported earlier. However, the minutes of the meetings confirm that the sub-committee did not address most of the objections raised by various departments.

On 27 February 2017, the home department of state government issued a circular noting the formation of a sub-committee to conduct an “in-depth study” of the bullet train project. The sub-committee, said the circular, would be headed by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis himself.

More than six months later, on September 12, 2017, the home department issued another circular approving the project. When Right to Info-rmation (RTI) activist Jeetendra Ghadge sou-ght details of the sub-co-mmittee’s meetings, the documents provided by the home department read, “You have sought information on the meetings of the cabinet sub-committee. So far, not even one meeting has been held.”

Within days, the state government suspended the information officer for providing “incorrect information”. The suspension was the first in the history of RTI Act in India.

The home department then provided the “correct information” to Mr Ghadge, by providing mi-nutes of the two meetings held on August 23, 2017 and September 4,  2-017. At the first meeting, held after over five-and-a-half months of the formation of the sub-committee, they mainly discussed the proposed site of the terminus at BKC.

The MMRDA had raised its objection at the proposed terminus, for it could have an impact on the development potential at Bandra-Kurla Complex. The urban development department even said it would lead to a revenue loss of  '48,000 crore. The sub-committee discussed how most  of the construction would be underground.