Central Railway is preparing to serve fresh eviction notices to occupants of 3,762 unauthorised tenements along the Kurla-Trombay railway corridor in Mumbai, following a Bombay High Court order citing safety risks and the need for railway land for infrastructure development.
A railway official told Hindustan Times, “We will issue notices asking encroachers to vacate the premises within 30 days and take further action thereafter, in accordance with the court’s directions,”
The High Court issued its order on October 7 while hearing a petition filed by seven affected residents. The occupants had previously received show-cause notices in 2022 under Section 4 of the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971, asking them to explain why eviction proceedings should not be initiated.
Under the latest directions, fresh notices are to require occupants to remove unauthorised structures and surrender railway land within seven days of receiving the notice. If they fail to comply, the Railways may proceed with removal in accordance with the law and recover the associated expenses. The report also cites a 30-day period for vacating, leaving different deadlines mentioned in the account.
The court has directed Central Railway to examine rehabilitation possibilities for affected families and provide interim financial assistance of Rs 2,000 per month for six months.
The structures occupy approximately 9,000 square metres of railway land along a corridor used exclusively for freight services, including oil tankers supplying industrial units and petroleum installations in Mumbai’s eastern suburbs. The land is also required for the proposed fifth and sixth railway lines between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Kurla.
The proximity of the settlements to railway tracks and overhead electrical wires has raised concerns about fire hazards and operational safety.
The issue gained urgency after a 250-tonne hydraulic crane collapsed onto tenements in Qureshi Nagar, Kurla, on August 21. The crane was being used to demolish a nearby dilapidated building. Ten people were injured, several homes were damaged, overhead wires fell and freight movement was disrupted.
The action follows a similar clearance drive at Bandra’s Garib Nagar earlier this year, where more than 500 unauthorised structures were demolished for railway expansion. Nearly 100 eligible families received rehabilitation homes through the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).
Source: The Free Press Journal
