Supreme Court refuses to hear Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing’s plea
New Delhi:
The Supreme Court on Friday declined to consider Godrej and Boyce Manufacturing Company Ltd’s (GBMCL) plea against the Bombay High Court order refusing to set aside its acquisition of a plot in Vikhroli for the bullet train project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Refused.
A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said at the beginning of the hearing, “Enough water has flowed. Possession has been taken and construction has started. Your only issue left is for enhancement of compensation.”
The bench, also comprising Justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala, took note of the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL), that the cost of the bullet train project has gone up by Rs 1,003. crores on account of delay and in the present case, the only issue remaining was that of compensation.
The Solicitor General, assisted by lawyers including Suransh Chaudhary, submitted that the land in question in Mumbai suburb Vikhroli was acquired by the Maharashtra government and NHSRCL for the project.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Company Limited, said that the company wanted NHSRCL and the Maharashtra government to take over its second plot.
“The state said it will give us Rs 572 crore. I wanted more…,” he said.
The bench orally said that the petitioner firm would be at liberty to claim enhanced compensation for the plot and the petition against acquisition cannot be entertained as possession has already been taken and construction is on.
GBMCL had challenged in the Bombay High Court the Rs 264 crore award and compensation announced by the Deputy Collector on September 15, 2022, for acquisition of its 9.69 acres of land for the project.
The High Court had dismissed the petition of the company which did not get any relief even from the apex court.
NHSRCL has been entrusted with the task of completing the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project, which will have a rail track of 508.17 km, including 21 km underground, and cover the distance in less than three hours.
The mega project is likely to be completed by 2026.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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