No payment from JICA for bullet train project is pending: NHSRCL

No payment from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for India's bullet train project is pending, National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) said on Tuesday, amidst reports that the agency had stopped its funding for the project following various issues raised by farmers.

NHSRCL, the nodal agency for the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor, said it is committed to care of the interests of the affected farmers and added that all necessary steps with regard to submission of various reports such as social impact assessment, environment impact assessment and indigenous people plan have already been taken by the Indian side and the reports already submitted to JICA.

"In fact, the Government of India and JICA have already signed a loan agreement of about 10 billion yen and no payment is pending from JICA as on date," NHSRCL said in a statement.

NHSRCL has failed to make any headway in several areas of Gujarat and Maharashtra. It is facing several issues over land acquisition in both the states, with farmers seeking more compensation and other basic amenities such as common ponds, schools, solar lights and doctors in village areas.

About 110 km of the 508-km train corridor passes through Palghar in Maharashtra where NHRSCL has faced stiff resistance from farmers. In Gujarat too, around 850 hectares is required to be acquired for the project from around 5,000 families across eight districts.