Over 1k illegal structures razed along W Rly tracks
The drive is being deemed fearless as the rlys didn't change course fearing political intervention
In a massive anti-encroachment drive, the Western Railway has removed as many as 1,642 encroachments in the last two years after carrying out 94 demolition drives on both sides of the rail tracks and rail land. These illegal structures were part of 11,517 encroachments, including 6,209 encroachers along the Churchgate-Virar stretch and the remaining 5,308 inside the railway colonies.
The railway officials agreed that never before have they been so aggressive in removing unauthorised settlements from railway land in the last so many years now. Last year, the Supreme Court slammed the Indian Railways for not taking action against unauthorised settlements.
The drive will serve as a booster for the 5 and 6 rail lines on Mumbai CentralBorivali stretch, which has been lagging since 2008. Sources said that in April out of the 600 plus encroachments identified for this Rs 930 crore project, they have provided rehabilitation to around 230 or so. This comes at a time when encroachers also came up to the WR authorities demanding rehabilitation in the same locality from where they are being removed.
“In the last two financial years, a total 94 demolition drives were carried out with removal of a total 1,642 encroachments. In the current financial year, 10 demolition drives have already been carried out with the removal of a total 564 encroachments,” apprised a senior WR official on condition of anonymity.
In the year 2020-21, the WR authorities removed 604 encroachments by undertaking 32 demolition drives. The number of demolition drives almost doubled with 62 being carried out from which they managed to remove 1,038 encroachers in 2021-22. The railways categorize encroachments as ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ wherein it depends on the structure.
In February this year, the WR decided to acquire 444 sq meters of land in Vile Parle and Borivali after demolishing more than 10-12 structures. Sources said that despite demolition being carried out, work got delayed but earlier last week they finally started the process for carrying out earthwork on BorivaliKhar stretch for the sixth line.
These proposed lines are part of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP2) that was proposed way back in 2008-09 or so when initial cost was Rs 430 crore. The rehabilitation and resettlement of land holders shall be done through Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development
Authority. The slum dwellers residing in these unauthorized structures claim that they were given only seven days to vacate.
The 5-6 lines on Mumbai Central-Borivali stretch are meant to segregate the long distance trains from suburban trains. The 5th line is partially laid between Santacruz-Borivali and Mumbai CentralMahim stretches and work on the remaining portion is underway.
Due to encroachment, the works of proposed Lines 5,6 had been lagging since 2008