U-Turn: State govt agrees to bullet train terminus at BKC

The State government is likely to approve the Railway Board’s plan to build the bullet train terminus on the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) land alongside the proposed International Financial Service Center (IFSC) being built by the State.

On December 12, India and Japan signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) for starting a bullet train service between two commercial hubs of the country, Mumbai and Ahmedabad.(AP)

Maha govt may offer another plot for bullet train terminus

A senior government official said the design submitted by the Railway recently, was in accordance with the government’s demands. He added that the design made both projects seem complementary. “The terminus no longer hampers the IFSC’s prospects. We will, however, demand that the Centre construct the IFSC building as compensation. We have written to them to extend the route of the train to Nashik,” he added.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and officials from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), which owns the plot, had earlier refused to give it away, saying the built up area of the plot could fetch crores. Fadnavis stated that the State had offered the Railway alternative plots nearby. MMRDA and Urban Development Department officials convened this to the Railways during their May 23 meeting.

The insistence of the Central government and the prime minister’s office has led to the compromise.