The Bombay High Court dismissed a petition filed by Godrej & Boyce company on Thursday challenging the acquisition proceedings started by the Maharashtra government and the NHSRCL in suburban Vikhroli for the project. The court stated that the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project is of “national importance and in the public interest.”
The National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) and the Maharashtra government had asserted that the company was delaying the entire project, which was crucial for the general public.
On Thursday, a divisional bench of Justices R D Dhanuka and M M Sathaye stated that the project was unique and that the general public interest would triumph over individual interests.
The Maharashtra government issued an order on September 15, 2022, awarding compensation to the Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Company Limited for land acquisition for the bullet train project. This order was challenged by the company.
However, the bench claimed that it had not discovered any irregularities in the compensation or legal actions taken by the authorities.
“The project is of national importance and in public interest. We have not found any illegality in the compensation. It is the paramount collective interest that would prevail and not private interest,” the court said.
The company has not made out a case for the court to exercise its powers and hence no interference is required, it added.
Senior counsel Navroz Seervai, appearing for the company, sought the court to stay its order for a period of two weeks so that they could approach the Supreme Court in appeal.
The bench, however, refused to stay its order.