SC agrees to hear Godrej & Boyce’s appeal on Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project on Feb 24

The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear petition filed by Godrej & Boyce challenging the acquisition proceedings commenced by the Maharashtra government and the NHSRCL in suburban Vikhroli for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project on February 24.

The plea was dismissed by the Bombay High Court earlier.

SC has ordered the Maharashtra government to refrain from any possession of land till that date.


“Given the express reservation of "all rights and contentions of the respective parties" to the First Writ Petition by the order dated 4th September, 2019 the Division Bench erred in holding that Godrej (Petitioner) was estopped from challenging the acquisition and that Godrej (Petitioner) has no locus to challenge the acquisition. The Learned Judges failed to appreciate that Godrej's (Petitioner) letters dated 19th April, 2018 and 3r May, 2018 which stated that the composite offer of alternate lad was subject. to the appropriate Government complying with Chapters I and IV of the Fair Compensation Act," the company said in its appeal filed before the SC.

Terming the upcoming Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project as of 'national importance', the Bombay High Court had rejected the plea.

The verdict by a division bench of Justice R.D. Dhanuka and Justice M.M. Sathaye said that "there are no irregularities in the acquisition...", and declined to stay the project.

The judgement came as a breather for the mega-project on the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Mumbai a few weeks ago for several engagements.

The government and the Godrej group have been squabbling over the acquisition of the company's land in 2019 for what is considered as Modi's pet project coming up with Japanese collaboration.

The bullet train project will be 508 kms long, including 21 kms running underground and one of the entry points to the subterranean tunnel will fall on the land owned by Godrej in Vikhroli which was taken over by the government.