Godrej Group has moved the Bombay High Court challenging the acquisition of 8.6 acres of its sprawling Vikhroli land by the Maharashtra Govt.

The prestigious bullet train project, expected to connect Ahmedabad and Mumbai with a two-hour run, is back in the news. This time it has drawn protests from the Godrej Group, which has moved the Bombay High Court challenging the acquisition of 8.6 acres of its sprawling Vikhroli land by the Maharashtra government. 

Godrej is seeking a realignment of the rail route to prevent nearly Rs 500 crore worth of its precious urban real estate being swallowed up. The company has even offered alternative land, if the National High-Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRC), the nodal agency executing the project, agrees to a realignment. In case there is no compromise, the state government will have to forcibly acquire the land. 

The Godrej resistance has once again highlighted the land acquisition problems. The Gujarat and Maharashtra governments will need to acquire nearly 3,460 acres of linear land for the corridor bringing on a head-on collision with 195 villages in Gujarat and 104 villages in Maharashtra. The 108-kilometre stretch in Maharashtra is among the most fertile and productive farm belts, famous for its fruit plantations. 

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