In a relief to Godrej & Boyce, the Bombay High Court on Monday directed the Maharashtra Government to decide on the application by the company seeking enhancement of compensation awarded to it for the acquisition of land for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project.
A Division Bench of Justices B.P. Colabawala and M.M. Sathaye was hearing a petition filed by the company seeking a direction to the Mumbai suburban District Collector and the Deputy Collector (land acquisition) of Vikhroli to make a reference to the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Authority to enhance its compensation.
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The court directed the State Government authorities to decide on the company’s application within 30 days. The company is seeking an enhancement of the compensation amount to ₹993 crore. It was initially awarded ₹572 crore but was then reduced to ₹264 crore.
In February this year, the Bombay High Court had dismissed a petition filed by the company challenging the proceedings. The company challenged the order before the Supreme Court which upheld the High Court order, but said the issue of enhancement of compensation shall be decided within six months.
Last year, the company challenged a September 15, 2022, order passed by the Deputy Collector for acquiring the company’s 10 hectares of land after agreeing to give ₹264 crore.
A total of 6,371 hectares 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 which is being planned to be underground.
