Officials attempt to attach train engine for non-payment of

Armed with a court order, officials Friday made a vain bid to attach the engine of a passenger train here in a case of non-payment of enhanced compensation for land acquired for a railway project nearly 20 years ago, causing a flutter.

Seeking to execute the November 23 order of the local court, its officials along with petitioners reached the railway junction here and sought to attach the engine of the Tirupati-Puducherry fast passenger train.

However, even as the court officials were conveying the court order, the train left the station.

The move to attach the engine caused a flutter in the station.

The matter relates to acquisition of land of a local resident Mumtaz Begum and others way back in 1999 for a railway project.

When Begum and others, approached a court here for higher compensation it was ordered.

However, as the enhanced compensation was not paid by the state government authorities, they filed an execution petition and the Kancheepuram sub-court ordered attachment of movable properties of the railway and state government.

The court ordered attachment of the engine of the Tirupati-Puducherry fast passenger train that passes through the Kancheepuram junction, two cars of the District Collector besides tables, chairs and four computers of his office.

A Southern Railway official told PTI that they have remitted about Rs five crore compensation to state government authorities in this connection.

"We don't directly pay, the matter is with the State revenue authorities," the official said.

A senior government official here said "the matter is in court" and declined to comment further.

When the petitioners and court officials visited the collectorate later, authorities assured them implementation of the court order for enhanced compensation, sources said.

The vehicles that were ordered to be impounded were not available at the Collectorate premises as well, they said.