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New Delhi: There has been no delay in the progress of the ambitious bullet train project after the change in government in Maharashtra, Railway Board Chairman Vinod Kumar Yadav told ThePrint.

“There has been no change in the schedule of the bullet train project… All the work is in full swing,” Yadav said. “Ninety per cent of the land needed for the project will be acquired in two-three months.”

Yadav’s statement comes days after Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray questioned the feasibility and high costs of the 500-km high-speed rail network, which has been modelled on the lines of Japan’s famous bullet train, and likened it to a “white elephant”.

“Who will benefit from the bullet train? How will trade and industry in Maharashtra get a boost because of it? If it is useful, convince me and then let’s go before people and decide what to do,” the chief minister had said.

“We have to see what is urgent and not take up something because we are getting a loan at zero interest or less interest. We acquire farmers’ land for no reason and then look after these white elephants. This is not right,” Thackeray had said about the project, which has faced resistance from farmers and tribals whose land have been acquired.

The project was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe in September 2017.

Also read: Japan plans to start bullet train services in 5 more Indian cities

‘Over 50% land already acquired for the project’

Yadav said there has been no issue in the progress of the project, which will link the country’s financial capital Mumbai and Ahmedabad by 2022.

“Fifty-three per cent of the land has already been acquired for the project,” he said. “But the real good news is that a joint measurement survey, which is the most important aspect of the project, has been carried out for 93 per cent of the land.

“Once 90 per cent of the land is acquired, we will start calling bids,” Yadav added.

He also said that the 500-km project has been divided into three sections. “For whichever section we finish 90 per cent of the land acquisition, we will start calling for the bids.”

Together, Gujarat and Maharashtra have already contributed Rs 1,000 crore in extra-budgetary resources (EBR) towards the project.

The Union government has allocated a sum of Rs 5,600 crore for the project for FY 2020-21.

At 350 km/h, the bullet train will have a speed that is almost double of the Indian trains’ maximum speed of 180 km/h at present.

Also read: Supreme Court to hear farmers’ plea on stalling bullet train project, issues notice to Centre

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