Amidst the protests over Modi government’s decision to run a bullet train from Mumbai to Ahmedabad, comes a news of an octogenarian NRI from Germany who has handed over her land for laying down the project successfully.
The Indian government, in order to provide the people with fast track trains, has planned to lay down the first set of tracks between the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route.
A lot of protests have surfaced against this project, people are claiming that the government is disregarding their sentiments by getting their lands for the project. Amidst the voices of dissent comes Savita Ben, who for over three decades has been living outside the country.
Her act clearly goes on to signify that there are people who have their faith entrusted in Prime Minister Modi and his initiatives. They have a belief that the initiatives taken by this government will surely bear fruit in the days to come. They have faith that India soon have the Bullet train running and the nation will be considered as one of the strongest economies and no more bear the tag of ‘developing country’ but rather be called a ‘developed country’.
Savita Ben runs an Indian restaurant in Germany, she originally hails from Chansad village in Gujarat and shifted to abroad 33 years ago after getting married. In her village, the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL) required 11.94 hectares of land that is privately owned, Savita Ben giving her bit to the initiative sold her land for approximately Rs. 30, 094.
NHSRCL spokesperson Dhananjay Kumar said, “She flew down specially to hand over the land for the project and we are extremely grateful to her for having agreed to it. She returned to Germany where she lives with her son and runs a restaurant.” He added, “This stretch of land is the first piece of land which we have acquired for the project in the state.”
This is an act of sheer generosity on the part of Savita Ben. In today’s time when people are so self-centered and selfish, Savita Ben has certainly set an example for everyone. Savita Ben in her old age still dreams for a better and progressing India which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working hard towards. She has this feeling engrossed in her that India can have super-fast trains in the country which can touch 300-500 miles/hour speed.
The route that is a 508-kilometer stretch requires combined land in Gujarat and Maharashtra of about 1,400 hectares. 1,120 hectares of the land from the estimated 1,400 hectares is privately owned and around 6,000 landowners will have to be compensated for the same.
Talking about the present condition, the NHSRCL has only managed to acquire 0.09% of land in Mumbai for this project and sadly, been facing a lot of issues with protest across both the states. Now, the authorities have resorted to conducting consent camps in the district where the land is required and have been convincing people to help the government in their construction process, which in turn will benefit them (the people) only.
It is a fact that authorities will take time to convince people and make them aware about the benefits that Bullet train will provide to country’s development but the act of Savita Ben shows that there are people who out of their will want to give something to the country in whichever way it is possible.
