DNA Impact: Churchgate stn free of illegal hutments

The BMC has demolished a toilet block and removed vagrants from right outside Churchgate station. This comes after the Western Railway (WR) and locals had objected to these illegal encroachments outside the prime railway station. The BMC demolished these structures on October 7. DNA had reported on it, titled ‘Encroachers occupy Churchgate stn footpath’ on September 14.

The WR authorities claimed that these vagrants had built temporary sheds using blue-coloured sheets and occupied the footpath right outside the station. This encroachment left little space for people to walk on the footpath, apart from being a serious security hazard. The illegal structures were occupied by vagrants that were built next to platform number 1 of Churchgate station opposite Government Law College.

Kiran Dhigavkar, Assistant Commissioner (A-ward) said, “The toilet block was being occupied by vagrants. These people have been removed from the area in the past but yet they always return. Since there are provisions for toilets inside the station premises, this block was not serving any purpose to commuters and hence was being encroached upon”.

The civic body, on the other hand, claims that these vagrants usually put up these sheds outside the station during monsoon for protection against the rains. There are several food stalls and cigarette vendors that are operating outside the station as well. There are also railway residential quarters opposite Churchgate station, yet the authorities are being proactive.