Gujarat
,
Valsad
,
Valsad
Published :
Jul 2026
|
Updated :
'Jan Denge, Zameen Nahin': Grassroots resistance to Freight Corridor project in Faldhara, Gujarat
Reported by
Suchak Patel
Legal Review by
Anmol Gupta
Rakshit Dhingra, Amrita Chekkutty
Edited by
Anupa Kujur
1189
Households affected
5425
People affected
Year started
5000
ha.
Land area affected
1189
Households affected
5425
People Affected
Year started
5000
Land area affected
Key Insights
Sector
Infrastructure
Reason/Cause of conflict
Railways
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Rural
Unclassifed
Sector
Infrastructure
Reason/Cause of conflict
Railways
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Rural
Ended
1
Summary

A meeting organised by the Kisan Sangharsh Samiti in Faldhara village saw a large gathering of farmers and local leaders opposing the proposed Freight Corridor project. With Vansda MLA Anant Patel and former Valsad MP Kishan Patel in attendance, the assembly rallied under the slogan "Jan Denge, Zameen Nahin" (Will Give lives but not land), expressing deep concerns about the project’s impact on tribal lands and local resources.

The Freight Corridor project is set to affect approximately 5,000 hectares of land across Gujarat, including several villages in Valsad district. Farmers voiced their worries that the initiative could severely damage the water, forest, and land that sustain their communities. During the meeting at Dhaldhar Dudh Mandali, participants united in their decision to form a dedicated conflict committee aimed at strategising opposition to the project.

Local leaders stressed the importance of immediate action, pledging to organise protests in the coming weeks. Anant Patel highlighted the farmers' resolve to resist any survey work conducted by agencies related to the project, emphasising their commitment to safeguarding their ancestral lands.

The gathering also marked the formation of anti-project conflict committees within the villages slated for the corridor's construction. Plans for future actions, including a Rasta Roko Andolan (road blockade) targeting the collector's office, were discussed as farmers prepared to make their voices heard against the government's initiative.

LCW researcher had filed an RTI seeking copies of complaint letters and petitions submitted by citizens. However, the administration did not provide the requested documents.

2
Fact Sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand to cancel the project

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Region Classification

Rural

Type of Land

Private

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)

Status of Project

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Agricultural land, Other natural resource collection/dependence

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

Total investment involved (in Crores):

Type of investment:

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

No

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

4
Additional Information

Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:

PSUs Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?

Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached

Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?

Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:

5
Information on the use of criminal law

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Legal Supporting Documents

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Author
Reported by
Suchak Patel
Suchak is an independent researcher.
Show more work
Fact sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand to cancel the project

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Status of Project

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Agricultural land, Other natural resource collection/dependence

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

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Exclusive monthly policy briefs, stories from the ground, Quarterly Analytics report, Curated Expert talks, merchandise and much more.


Support our work.
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