Land availability at BKC could delay bullet train

Construction of the Mumbai terminus of the ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project is expected to get delayed due to land availability issue at BKC

Construction of the Mumbai terminus of the ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project is expected to get delayed as the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), which is building the corridor, is yet to get the possession of land from the Maharashtra government at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC).

Land availability at BKC could delay bullet train. (Shutterstock)

The NHSRCL had planned to begin the construction of the station by the end of 2022. The proposed station will have a three-storey underground structure at BKC. As per the NHSRCL design, the BKC station will have six platforms for the trains on the lowest floor of the three-level station.

Shedding light on what’s causing the delay, a senior NHSRCL official said, “A structure of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) is yet to be shifted to alternate land offered by Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority(MMRDA) to facilitate the proposed construction of the station.” He also informed that the formalities of handing over the land and signing of the lease agreement for alternate sites are still pending.

The MMRDA has allowed alternate land for the BPCL petrol pump at the G block of BKC. However, the relocation work involving the construction of facilities by BPCL has not been started at the new location.

The MMRDA in response has stated that the land for shifting of the petrol pump has been allocated.

“Land for the BPCL petrol pump has been allotted and the shifting work will be done immediately,” assured SVR Srinivas, commissioner, MMRDA.

MMRDA officials also informed that the shifting of the petrol pump work was stuck for years. “The allotment of land was stuck for three years but has finally been done. Construction work will also start soon,” said another MMRDA official.

The tender of the BKC high-speed railway station was floated in 2019. Seven Indian companies including Larsen & Toubro Limited, ITD Cementation India Limited, J Kumar Infra Projects Limited, Tata Projects Limited, Afcons Infrastructure Limited, Hindustan Construction Company Limited and Ircon International Limited had shown interest in the construction of the station.