Railways' plan to protect land from encroachers

Getting tough on encroachment issue, railways has made it clear that concerned officials would be responsible for unauthorised occupation of rail land.
It has been decided to fix responsibility on concerned officials for any encroachment on railway land, said a senior Railway Ministry official.
Besides, railways will also construct boundary walls on its land to prevent encroachers.
Currently, about 879.48 hectares of land is under encroachment. Most of these encroachments are in the approaches of the stations in metros and big cities.
We have undertaken a series of initiatives including provision of boundary wall, tree plantation at vulnerable locations to prevent encroachment, the official said.

Besides these regular measures, keeping in view the seriousness of the issue, the digitized mapping of land records has also been initiated.

Railways carry out regular surveys and take action for their removal. If the encroachments are of temporary nature in the shape of jhuggies, jhopries and squatters, the same is removed in consultation and with the assistance of Railway Protection Force and local civil authorities.
In case of old encroachments, eviction of unauthorized occupants is carried out with the assistance of state government and police.
Railways has retrieved 89 hectares of encroached land in the last three years.
In order to safeguard Railway land, railways carry out regular inspections at various levels. "In case, any trespass is noticed which may eventually lead to encroachment, it is removed there and then. The land records are regularly updated and verified from revenue authorities," he said.

Besides these regular measures, keeping in view the seriousness of the issue, the digitized mapping of land records has been initiated and it has been decided to fix responsibility on officials for any encroachments.