Lok Sabha Question No. 5273 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-04-05
Subject: Encroachment of Railway Land
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: DHARMENDRA YADAV, SHIVAJI ADHALRAO PATIL, ANANDRAO  ADSUL, SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE, VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT, Shrirang Appa Barne, PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE

- (a)

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5273 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.04.2017

## ENCROACHMENT OF RAILWAY LAND

† 5273.    SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV:

SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO:

SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL:

DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

DR. PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)   the total vacant land of Railways and the land encroached in the last three years, zone-wise;
- (b)   the new land acquired by the Railways for its future requirements during  each  of  the  last  three  years  along  with  the  cost  and present status thereof, zone-wise;
- (c) whether  the  Railways  has  fixed  responsibility  of  the  recent encroachments and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the regular surveys are carried out by the Railways for removal of its encroached land and if so, the details thereof;
- (e)   the  total  area  of  land  got  realised  from  the  encroachers  during each of the last three years, zone-wise;
- (f)   the steps taken by the Government to set up a mechanism to fix the responsibility of their officials for any new encroachment; and
- (g)   whether the vacant land of Railways is required for servicing and maintenance  of  track,  bridges  and  other  railway  infrastructure and also utilised for execution of various infrastructural projects for meeting future growth?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

to (g): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

(b)

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (g)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5273 BY SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV, SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO, SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL, DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE, SHRI VINAYAK BHAURAO RAUT, SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE AND  DR. PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 05.04.2017 REGARDING ENCROACHMENT OF RAILWAY LAND

(a) to (g):   Zone-wise details/data of total vacant railway land and encroached railway land for the last three years are as under:-

(Figures in Hectares)

| Zonal Railway      | Vacant land (as on)   | Vacant land (as on)   | Vacant land (as on)   | Encroached Land (as on)   | Encroached Land (as on)   | Encroached Land (as on)   |
|--------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------|
|                    | 31-3-14               | 31-3-15               | 31-3-16               | 31-3-14                   | 31-3-15                   | 31-3-16                   |
| Central            | 2855                  | 2739                  | 2681                  | 59.97                     | 59.82                     | 59.31                     |
| Eastern            | 2212                  | 2246                  | 2247                  | 21.31                     | 20.85                     | 20.71                     |
| East Central       | 4299                  | 4299                  | 4298                  | 3.48                      | 3.02                      | 2.40                      |
| East Coast         | 2193                  | 2709                  | 2840                  | 19.81                     | 17.05                     | 15.28                     |
| Northern           | 8314                  | 8120                  | 11991                 | 210.21                    | 209.19                    | 206.37                    |
| North Central      | 975                   | 747                   | 788                   | 41.19                     | 41.17                     | 40.98                     |
| North Eastern      | 5772                  | 5771                  | 5770                  | 25.69                     | 25.63                     | 25.63                     |
| Northeast Frontier | 1305                  | 1332                  | 1402                  | 147.32                    | 125.99                    | 106.26                    |
| North Western      | 439                   | 438                   | 1278                  | 17.29                     | 19.04                     | 19.02                     |
| Southern           | 2576                  | 2577                  | 2722                  | 61.61                     | 60.51                     | 60.49                     |
| South Central      | 1371                  | 1365                  | 1364                  | 11.41                     | 18.77                     | 17.62                     |
| South Eastern      | 467                   | 468                   | 470                   | 158.87                    | 158.09                    | 156.17                    |
| Southeast Central  | 3162                  | 3161                  | 3331                  | 55.48                     | 55.45                     | 49.15                     |
| South Western      | 4133                  | 4191                  | 4245                  | 16.30                     | 16.26                     | 16.26                     |
| Western            | 5549                  | 5204                  | 5876                  | 41.44                     | 41.44                     | 41.44                     |
| West Central       | 487                   | 487                   | 621                   | 37.02                     | 36.78                     | 36.68                     |
| Production Units   | 300                   | 479                   | 478                   | 2                         | 5.74                      | 5.74                      |
| Total              | 46409                 | 46333                 | 52402                 | 930.40                    | 914.80                    | 879.51                    |

*****

The vacant land, which is mostly in the form of narrow strips along the tracks, is used for servicing and maintenance of track, bridges and other railway infrastructure. The vacant land is also utilized for execution  of  various  infrastructural  projects  for  meeting  future  growth needs of Railways which include projects like doubling/tripling and traffic facilities works, etc.

Railways carry out regular  surveys  and  take  action  for  removal  of encroachments.    If  the  encroachments  are  of  a  temporary  nature  (soft encroachment) in the shape of jhuggies, jhopries and squatters, the same are  got  removed  in  consultation  with  and  the  assistance  of  Railway Protection Force and local civil authorities. For old encroachments, where party  is  not  amenable  to  persuasion,  action  is  taken  under  Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Act, 1971 (PPE Act, 1971), as amended from time to time.  Actual eviction of unauthorized occupants is  carried  out  with  the  assistance  of  State  Government  and  police. However, removal of encroachment is a continuous process.

The  details  of  land  retrieved  from  encroachments  during  the  last three years i.e. (2013-14, 2014-15 & 2015-16) are as under:-

(Figures in Hectare)

| Zonal Railway      | Area retrieved from encroachment   | Area retrieved from encroachment   | Area retrieved from encroachment   |
|--------------------|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|
|                    | 2013-14                            | 2014-15                            | 2015-16                            |
| Central            | 0                                  | 0.15                               | 0.51                               |
| Eastern            | 0.03                               | 0.46                               | 0.14                               |
| East Central       | 0.21                               | 0.46                               | 0.62                               |
| East Coast         | 0                                  | 2.76                               | 1.77                               |
| Northern           | 4.39                               | 1.02                               | 2.82                               |
| North Central      | 0.21                               | 0.01                               | 0.20                               |
| North Eastern      | 0.22                               | 0.06                               | 0                                  |
| Northeast Frontier | 13.04                              | 21.32                              | 19.99                              |
| North Western      | 0.57                               | 0                                  | 0.02                               |
| Southern           | 0.03                               | 1.1                                | 0.02                               |
| South Central      | 0.25                               | 0                                  | 1.15                               |
| South Eastern      | 0.91                               | 0.78                               | 1.92                               |
| South East Central | 0                                  | 0.03                               | 6.30                               |

| South Western   |     0 |     0 |     0 |
|-----------------|-------|-------|-------|
| Western         |  1.07 |  0    |  0    |
| West Central    |  3.62 |  0.24 |  0.11 |
| TOTAL           | 24.55 | 28.39 | 35.57 |

The land holding of Indian Railways has increased about 15363 hectares in the last three years due to acquisition of land for new lines  including  railway's  future  requirements.  However,  year-wise details  and  cost  of  such  acquisition  is  being  collected  and  will  be laid on the Table of the House. As there is continuous reduction in encroachment for past many years, no responsibility has been fixed in  recent  past.  However,  it  has  now  been  decided  to  fix  the responsibility on officials for any new encroachments. Railways  have  also  taken  measures  to  protect  Railway  land assets  from  encroachment  which  include  licensing  of  land  to Railway employees for Grow More Food (GMF) scheme, provision of boundary wall, fencing and tree plantation at vulnerable locations.

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