WR to recommence anti-squatter drive near Bandra railway station

The Western Railway’s (WR) ambitious plans to clear several hundred square metres of encroached land along the eastern fringes of the suburban Bandra railway station will restart on Saturday after labourers went on a Diwali break.

The enroachment removal and demolition drive, a joint effort between the WR and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, started after the collapse of a shanty unit in Behramapada on October 13 which led to six deaths.

The WR divisional railway manager Mukul Jain confirmed that the drive, which had faced severe resistance from residents, would restart on Saturday. Officials said that it was imperative that some of the units be pulled down in the interest of civic safety.

In the first phase, a target has been set of clearing about 0.47 hectares or 4,700 square metres of land in Behrampada. Upon completion, the plan is expected to clear and retrieve a total of 34,700 square metres of land in the three pockets of Behrampada, Garibnagar and Kherwadi along Bandra station’s eastern belt.

However, some officials admit that the drive could go on longer. The municipal polls are mere months away and politics is sure to weave its way into the drive.

“Once the civic elections begin the availability of BMC officials will be a problem. So, we have to do the best we can in the time we have,” said one official.

SQUATTER STATISTICS

Behrampada - 0.47 hectares
(4700 square metres)
Garibnagar- 1.60 hectares
(16000 sq metres)
Kherwadi- 1.40 hectares
(14000 square metres)
Total- 3.47 hectares
(34700 square metres)