Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream project bullet train has received a red signal in his own state Gujarat. Except some part of Ahmadabad, all those 8 districts where bullet train project is going to take place, all farmers in these districts have strongly opposed the project. Almost 5 thousand farmers have decided that they will never sell their land for this project. The farmers from these 192 villages recently gathered on the same platform. They strongly opposed to do the measurement of their land.
Bullet train has no benefits for Maharashtra – The social organizations in Maharashtra
This railway line is being constructed to cross 534 km between Gujarat and Maharashtra states. The social organizations has said that this bullet train project has no benefits for Maharashtra, it is nothing but waste of money & resources. Many farmers land will be acquired for Modi’s dream project. In this, the land will be acquired in 192 villages in eight districts of Gujarat and in the Union Territory of 105 villages in four districts of Maharashtra. Most of the land in Navsari district of Gujarat will be taken up for the project. The bullet train depot will be constructed in Pijra village., the farmers of this village have already got hurt by this news
In Gujarat, 950 hectares of land will be acquired in 192 villages. These villages are agriculture, horticulture and environment-rich. 85% of these lands grow Rice, Sugarcane and Vegetables. Irrigation is done in all three seasons. Besides this, Valsad, Navsari districts are famous for growing mango and chikoo. Anti-Bullet train campaign meeting was held in Palghar on 6th June. The 600 project-affected farmers participated in this meeting. 80 of them were farmers of Gujarat. 500 hectares of land from 115 villages in Maharashtra will be taken for the project. Maharashtra will be having the route of 120 km for bullet train. For this, Maharashtra will have to pay Rs 27,000 crores and Gujarat, will be having 388 kilometers route, will cost equally same. The share of Maharashtra and Gujarat in this project will be 25% each. Maharashtra has to spend Rs 225 crores per km. The Environment Protection Committee is claiming that only Gujarat will spend Rs.658.85 crores.
These are the 192 villages in Gujarat
Ahmedabad District – Ahmedabad city and Sabarmati city, Village-Wanjol, Ropada, Gairatpur, Gammadi, Berezdi in Dasrochi taluka.
Anand District – Bhoommel, Chaklasi, Boriyavi, Kanjari, Rajnagar, Azarpur, Lembivel, Samarkha, Ajupura, Mangalnagar, Prasanna Nagar, Navbhavan Colony, Ganesh Colony, Anand, Mahavir Nagar.
Kheda District – villages in Mehmedabad taluka – Raska, Rohilla, Amritsar, Nenpur Villages in Kheda taluka – Dewani Villages in Nadiad taluka – Khamboli, Degam, Jharol, Anandhai, Arera, Hatholi, Alizada, Manjipura, Dabhana, Devda, Balaroli, Tundel, Dumrol, Pipalag, Gutal, Narsa daada.
Vadodara District – villages of Vadodara taluka – Rajupura, Vasad, Dodka, Fazlpur, Sankrada, Nandesi, Lalpura, Vasana Kotaria, Padmala, Ranoli, Dhanora, Ajod, Siswa, Amarkarpura, Jawahar Nagar, Kayali Village, Karaadiya, Chahani. Village of Chapad, Gavakhana, Shihor, Veerpur, Madapur, Sareja Colony in Padra taluka. Villages in Karjan taluka- Pingalwada, Harsunda, Sarar, Bamangam, Kheda, Anastu, Khanda, Kanabha, Chorbaj, Karjan, Karamdibodka, Khambola, Mannakrol, Sanpa.
Bharuch District – villages of Amod taluka – Sathroda, Telod, Ochan, Matar, Azamnagar, Vasana, Vantarsa, Kesalu The villages of Bharuch talukas – Padaria, Kurchand, Karela, Tankaria, Kahan, Secwa, Pipalia, Parakhat, Sitpan, Hingla, Jahanghar, Parijay, Trulsakoti, Mahudala, Alder, Luwara, Vaaguna, Dereol, Summer, Vahalu, Vansi, Vilayat, Tham, Kantharia, Manubbal
Ankleshwar taluka – Dehegam, Parksfari, Hinklot, Shishuviharadham, Borabhata, Modinagar, Haripura, Pungam, Diva, Surwadi, Andada, Boladar, Nangal, Kosambari, Kathodara, Ghodada, Panoli, Utiyada, Dhamadod, Hands, Amod, Dungra, Pandavai, Kasamba , Kharach, Kumbvarda
Surat District – Village of Gunda – Kundasad, Bhurundi, Kareli, Mardh, Dhampur in Olpad taluka. The villages of Kamrej tehsil – Shekhpur, Nirdi, Antholi, Thoroli, Velangja, Umra Chorayasi, Amboli, Abrama, Kathor, Bhairav, Khalwad, Diamond City, Navagam, Laskana, Pasodara, Keithoda, Kosmada, Ovain, Indoli, Ughal. Villages in Surat city – Khambhla, Sanyakanadi, Ekatera, Bonanand, Raavan, Kapaleta, Lajpur. Villages in Palasana taluka, Haripura, Kadodara, Tantalathla, Kharbhasi, Chalthan, Sanki, Talodra, Kinnwara, Erthan, Vadadala, Balveshwar, Lingada, Taraj, Intalva, Makhinga.
Navsari District – villages – Pavla, Vejalpur, Kasbapar, Sarai, Ahmadpur, Telada, Ahmadpur, Pisad, Navsari, Nasilpur, Dhargi, Sevodara, Adada, Khadsupa, Kachol, Vegam in Navsari taluka. Villages in Jalalpur taluka – Kapaletha, Dabhel, Hansana, Asunder, Kollana, Dhaman, Sadodara. Gane-Pinjara, Pattari, Pardi, Manepepore, Dhanori, Peepadhara, Surat, Khelgam, Ankleshwar, Vorsalal, Kasari, Deshad, Nandarka, Pati, Anthariya, Bilimora in Ganadevi taluka. Villages in Chikhli taluka – Ghetti
Valsad District – villages in Valsad taluka – Gorgam, Panchlaai, Dungari, Sonawada, Tighra, Saron, Andragota, Khajuradi, Palan, Gundavas, Kewada, Girls, Aaraa, Jujwa, Pathri, Chinwai, Binwada, Balda. Villages in Padi taluka – Sukhlaw, Geicholini, Khobaria, Kutkihi Society, Pardi, Pulsana, Borlai, Udwada, Amli, Khadki, Dungari, Velparawa, Motiwada, Kikrala, Sarodhi, Tidhara, Pariya, Khuntage, Bagwada, Taramaliya, Dumalu, Tukwada, Ambach, Pandol, Baliitha, Kokarwa, Dhenkach, Karwad, Aarti Colony, Dungara, Borigam, Valvada. The villages of Umbergaon taluka – Aakari, Borealay, Bilad, Ankalas, Achal, Nandigam.
Dadra Nagar Haveli – Dadra, Demni, Nanyitambadi, Dampasa, Kachigam, Athal, Khardapada, Naroli.
Four stations in Maharashtra – Bandra (BKC), Thane, Virar and Boisar.
Eight stations in Gujarat – Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati.
We will not sell our land – Jayesh Patel, President, Khedut Samaj, Ahmedabad
We will not give one inch space of our land for the bullet train in 192 villages. The land is our mother and we will not sell it. We may get the money for the land, but that will not last for long, then what is the future of our upcoming generations. Our fights are going on in High Court and Supreme Court.The project will be completed in time – Atul Bhatkhalkar, BJP MLA & Spokesperson
Bullet train work in Maharashtra is in progress, there are some obstacles in Gujarat. Farmers have opposed in some places. The concerned railway authority is working on the matter to get resolved. As BJP is in power in center and state government of Gujarat, the bullet train project is expected to be completed in time.Will not talk Media – Abhiyanshu Das, Chief Project Manager, Bullet Train
I will not speak anything with the media about the farmers opposing in Gujarat. You phoned to Delhi for this.The determination to intensify the fight – Ulka Mahajan, Janhara Agitation
In June, 600 people from Maharashtra came to oppose the Bullet Train project. All this has shown 100 percent resistance. The political parties like Shivsena, Bahujan Vikas Nigam have decided to intensify the battle against the project.
Initially UPA government welcomed the project, now they are against.
Japan had submitted the report on bullet train in 2012 to the government headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. But government kept it on hold stating that the government will fix the existing problems of the railway first then with the help of its engineers, would speed up the trains. Government gave an example of Delhi to Kanpur train which speed was bought to 1 hour and 20 minutes from three hours. Thus the UPA government hold the report.
Zyka Company’s report suppressed
A year ago, a Japanese International Agency gave a report. The report says, looking at the railway system in India the speed of the train is not possible more than 250 kms per hour, then how it would run at 350 km speed per hour. This project is being surveyed by Japan from 2010. The survey had reported the effect of this project on Tribals and farmers, but the government never let this report come out. The land acquisition that is being done in the project, should be done by the government but this work has now been given to a private company.
BJP’s representatives also opposes
BJP is in power in all the Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and Zilla Parishad in the eight districts of Gujarat that comes under the Bullet train projects. The representatives of all these government bodies strongly opposed to this project. However, BJP MLAs did not speak openly due to the pressure from party leaders in Delhi.
Rs. 1.10 lakh crore project to be completed in 2023
The bullet train project of 1.10 lakh crore is going to be completed in 2023. Out of this, 88 percent of the expenditure will be spent by Japan at the interest rate of 0.1 percent. The process of land acquisition was initiated by District Revenue Department and National High Speed Railway Corporation. Daily 26 planes, 69 trains, 125 luxury buses travels from Mumbai to Ahmedabad.
Environmental damage
Krishnakant Chavan, Activist, Environmental Protection Committee, Surat
These 192 villages of Gujrat are agriculture, horticulture and environment-rich. From whom the government wants to run this bullet train by destroying this nature’s gift. We asked this question to many of the concern people, but no one had any answer. We will make our fight stronger in future.
