ZRL to demolish 77 illegal properties

…as the company asks encroachers to do voluntary demolition to salvage something

ENCROACHERS cited in the latest demolition notice have an option of conducting voluntary demolition of their properties as this will enable them salvage something from the 77 properties to be demolished, the Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL) has observed.

In a demolition notice titled ‘Time is Up’ published in yesterday’s edition of the Daily Nation, ZRL says this follows expiry of the notice period first published in the national press on February 5, 2018, by which all illegal developers and encroachers, who have occupied or built on railway reserve land, were advised to vacate within 30 days from February 1, 2018.

“Zambia Railways will now proceed with demolitions. The above mentioned have the option to conduct voluntary demolition as this will enable them salvage something from the properties to be demolished. Please take note that the full list for the other regions will follow in the next seven days upon conclusion of the verification exercise

“Our action follows an extensive and thorough verification exercise that included representations from over 700 people countrywide.

“The decision to demolish the listed structures has been arrived at by management after considering all these representations and establishing that the buildings pose a danger to the trains and the occupiers of the same,” the notice read in part.

The notice added that the listed properties were earmarked for demolition and all those that had not presented any justification, especially in the area near the Lusaka Rail Station and Kamwala, would not be considered for any moratorium (delay) as they had ignored the Zambia Railways notices with impunity.

It said that all persons who had put up illegal structures within 50 meters of either side of the main railway line (between Chililabombwe and Livingstone; and Mulobezi and Livingstone) had encroached into railway reserve land. Of the 77 properties earmarked for demolition, 62 are in the northern region (between Kapiri Mposhi and Ndola), which are between 15 and 40 metres from the main line, as verified by the regional office; while 15 are in the central region, (from Kapiri Mposhi to Mazabuka), which are within 50 metres from the main line.