BRS Says No To Farm Land For Bullet Train Project
BRS opposed acquiring agricultural land in Bahadurpally for a proposed bullet train station, suggesting the use of existing government-owned land instead.
The BRS on Monday said it was firmly opposed to any land acquisition at Bahadurpally by the government under the guise of setting up a railway station for bullet trains and said the government should instead use already available land adjacent to the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport close to which the station has been proposed.
BRS working president, K.T. Rama Rao, addressing farmers from Bahadurpally village whose land was sought to be acquired, said the BRS was not opposed to the bullet train project, but would not agree to taking away farm land when alternative government-owned land was available.
Questioning the need to acquire around 1,000 acres for a station when, he claimed, a much smaller extent would suffice, Rama Rao said the government was conspiring to acquire agricultural land cheaply for real estate ventures of Congress leaders. He pointed out that of the around 5,500 acres acquired for the Shamshabad airport, some of its unused portion could be considered for the rail project.
Urging farmers not to sign away their lands for the bullet train project, Rama Rao said the BRS will continue the farmer’s legal battle against the acquisition, including approaching the Supreme Court if necessary.
