"India’s bullet train project reignites debate on land for ‘public purpose'", 25 Sep 2017

Plans for India’s first bullet train...have sparked a debate on the definition of “public purpose” for land acquisitions which have become increasingly contentious...The project...will need about 825 hectares (2,000 acres) of land...[F]armers along the proposed route held protests against giving up their land...[A]nalysts say the definition of what constitutes public purpose needs revisiting...should only the state decide what is public purpose? A law passed in 2013 was meant to protect the rights of farmers, ensuring consensus over land acquisitions, rehabilitation for those displaced, and adequate compensation. But several states have diluted these provisions to speed up acquisitions. Over the years, the state has extended public purpose from public schools, railways and highways to also include private hospitals and educational institutions, factories and Special Economic Zones. But land rights experts say defining such projects as public purpose leaves vulnerable people with little judicial recourse...