The Bombay High Court on October 18 said it will hear Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Co. Limited’s plea challenging the acquisition of its land and its compensation for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train on November 10.
A Division Bench of Justices Nitin Jamdar and Sharmila Deshmukh was hearing a plea by Godrej & Boyce challenging an order passed on September 15, 2022 by the Deputy collector for acquiring the company’s 10 hectares of land after agreeing to give ₹ 264 crore. The plea was filed in 2019 challenging the amendment of Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act. The company sought to quash the order by the Deputy Collector as it was passed more than 26 months after the last hearing took place.
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Senior advocate Navroj Seervai, appearing for the company, sought a status quo on the matter and said that any step towards possession would be prejudicial to the company.
Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni told the court that compensation amount has already been deposited as per the Act and no notice has been issued for taking possession.
The Bench said, even if such a notice is issued, the company is still open to approach the court, and posted the hearing to November 10.
A total of 6,371 ha of private land is needed to be acquired in both Maharashtra and Gujarat for the ambitious project with a length of 508.17 km between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, about 21 km of that being planned to be underground.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/bombay-hc-to-hear-plea-on-land-acquisition-for-mumbai-ahmedabad-bullet-train-on-nov-10/article66026448.ece
