Gujarat HC gives a go ahead for railway line in Kutch by APSEZ

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat high court on Friday gave a go ahead for the construction or railway line between Mundra and Adipur in Kutch district by Adani Port Special Economic Zone. The Court rejected a petition by a local resident objecting the company's move claiming that it did not take the permission of local gram panchayat prior to constructing the railway line.

On Ullasba Barach of Luni village in Kutch district had filed a Public Interest Litigation in the High Court claiming that APSEZ cannot construct a railway track parallel to the existing railway line. She also objected the construction of a compound wall along the tracks without the permission of local gram panchayat. She further demanded that an under-bridge be constructed at Luni.

The court said that under The SEZ Act, the company is free to construct a compound wall along the railway line which is part of SEZ. The court ruled that once an area is notified as a SEZ, local village panchayat does not have any authority over it. It said that once the plan is approved by the railway authorities, the court cannot interfere with the decision, whether or not to construct an overbridge.