Maharashtra refuses to give Bandra-Kurla land for bullet train station

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Rs98,000-crore dream of a bullet train between Ahmedabad and Mumbai may run into rough weather with the BJP-led state government in Maharashtra stating that it won't allow the Railways to build the Mumbai terminus.

The Maharashtra government is learnt to have told the railways that it cannot part with the land in Mumbai's upmarket Bandra-Kurla complex for the proposed station of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project as it would lead to a revenue loss of Rs10,000 crore for the state.

Also, according to the state government, since only a small portion of the bullet train corridor - one of Modi's pet infrastructure projects - falls in Maharashtra, such a large revenue loss cannot be justified.

This, despite the fact that the railways plan to construct the Mumbai station of the bullet train underground at the Bandra-Kurla complex (BKC) - the central business district in the western suburb.

The plans were prepared by Japanese consultants after considering all options after a survey of the area and after consultations with state government functionaries.

The state government now fears that the proposed station at Bandra-Kurla would hamper its plans to build a financial centre at the same place - this despite arguments that the bullet train station would be built fully underground.

The bullet train station and its access portion would cover 0.9 hectares of the 28-hectare land at the BKC, but the state government says the existing building bylaws and rules governing commercial establishments would still hamper construction of the proposed financial centre.

Also, there is a possibility that Ahmedabad would usurp Mumbai's right to build a financial centre as a significant portion would become inaccessible for the proposed financial centre - a showpiece project for the state.

The railways is reported to have told the state that it would get back with an answer, while the railway ministry may seek support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a solution or a compromise.