NHSRCL calls for Impact Assessment to draft DPR of Mumbai-Nagpur bullet train

Rafique Aziz

Aurangabad, Aug 9:

In a subsequent development after an aerial survey in March, the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL, New Delhi), has undertaken Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (EIA and SIA), through consultation of project-affected, public and stakeholders, to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) of the ambitious Mumbai-Nagpur High-Speed Railway Project (MNHSR).

The consultation for the Jalna district is scheduled to be held at DPDC Hall, Collector Office, on August 17 at 11 am and for Aurangabad district is scheduled to be held at Rukmini Auditorium, MGM Campus (N-6 Cidco) on August 18 at 11 am.

The deputy collector (general administration) Rita Maitrewar confirmed that a panel of two high ranking officials of NHSRCL, under the chairmanship of the district collector, will be seeking public consultation for preparing the DPR for the development of the High-Speed Rail Corridor (HSR) at MGM Campus (N-6 Cidco) on August 18. The EIA and SIA will help include the land acquisition cost, valuable inputs and suggestions in the DPR, said Maitrewar.

EIA/SIA in Thane, Buldhana completed

According to highly placed sources, " The bullet train proposed to run between Mumbai and Nagpur will be covering a distance of around 740 km. It will pass through 10 districts of Maharashtra - Thane, Nasik, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Jalna, Buldhana, Washim, Amravati, Wardha and Nagpur - and NHSRCL will be requiring approximately 1245 hectares of land (from 387 villages of 28 tehsils in 10 districts) for it. The EIA and SIA through public consultation for Thane and Buldhana districts have been done on July 22 and 23."

Projects to save time; reduce pollution

" The bullet train project will not be affecting the regular road traffic. The alignment will be proposed on elevated viaducts, bridges and underground tunnels, like in Pune and Mumbai cities. The high-speed train will cross the distance from Thane to Nagpur in just three and a half hours. It will save reaching time, reduce pollution as well as bring prosperity in the districts falling on the route, " stressed the sources.

It may be noted that the AurangabadFirst (Lokmat Times) has published the news highlighting the conduct of aerial/LiDAR survey by NHSRCL for bullet train on April 20.

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Acquisition of 168 hectares of land in A'bad dist; 75 hectares in Jalna dist

The sources explained, " The width of track will be of just 17.5 metres. Hence the track of length 111 km will be passing through Gangapur, Vaijapur and Aurangabad tehsils in Aurangabad district. The requirement of land for the purpose is around 168 hectares (including 94 hectares - government land and 74 hectares - private land). Besides, the track of length 43 km will be passing through Jalna and Badnapur tehsils and the requirement of land is of around 75 hectares (including 53 hectares - government land and 22 hectares of private land)."