Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train: Farmers protest land survey

Farmers from over two dozen villages in Gujarat's Navsari district on Monday opposed land acquisition for the multi-billion dollar Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project and prevented officials from carrying out measurement of their farm plots. A farm leader said the protest started in Parthan and four other villages and those opposing the land survey were joined by representatives from 23 other areas.

Farm leader Siddharth Desai said the land in these areas was surveyed a year ago but no compensation had been awarded to anyone as yet, though villagers had demanded at the time that they be paid in two months. Desai said farmers would continue to protest in the "Gandhian way".

"Villagers opposed the survey but the process is continuing. We cannot divulge more details as of now," said Tushar Jani, Navsari Prant Officer (government's coordination officer at taluka level).

Jani said villagers are dissatisfied with compensation on offer. The high speed line is being built with Japanese loans and technology, and its foundation stone was laid on September 14, 2017 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe.