Mumbai, Nov 30: After stalling the Aarey Metro Car Shed project, the Shiv Sena said that the ambitious Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed Bullet Train project was not on their priority list.
Dipak Kesarkar, a senior Shiv Sena leader who was a minister in previous BJP-Sena government headed by Devendra Fadnavis said that if one has to spend Rs 3500 (the estimated cost of Mumbai-Ahmedabad train ticket for bullet train) then there is also an option of a flight.
The ambitious railway project, considered to be dream project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is being developed at the cost of Rs. 1.08 lakh crore. The Japan Government has extended financial assistance to this project.
The foundation stone for the country’s first ever Bullet Train project was laid jointly on 14 September 2017 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe. The high-speed rail is expected to cover the distance between Mumbai and Ahmedabad in just three hours.
The ambitious project of Modi government, Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train is not a priority for Shiv Sena, which would be heading the new government in the state of Maharashtra.
The former minister further stated that it was okay when Maharashtra and Gujarat were one state and Mumbai was the capital as connectivity is needed. However, Kesarkar said that he is not sure whether it is needed in the present times. The Shiv Sena is not opposing anything, but the first priority of the party is farmers, he said.
The Japanese firm- Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has agreed to fund 81 per cent of the total expenditure. While the remaining cost of the project is to be borne by the state governments of Maharashtra and Gujarat.
The former BJP-led Maharashtra government had earlier committed to a capital expenditure of Rs 5,000 crore for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project.
The railway line of about 150 km is to be built in the state of Maharashtra. Currently, the land acquisition for the high speed rail project is underway, the report said.