Lok Sabha Question No. 455 (STARRED), answered on 2019-07-24
Subject: Encroachment on Railway Land
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Sadashiv Kisan Lokhande, Annpurna Devi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 455 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24.07.2019

## ENCROACHMENT ON RAILWAY LAND

†*455.  SHRI SADASHIV LOKHANDE :

MS. ANNPURNA DEVI :

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether encroachment on railway land is still prevailing and if so, the details thereof as on date, zone-wise;
- (b)  the  problems  being  faced  by  the  Government  in  removing such encroachments;
- (c)  whether  such  encroachments are reportedly taking place in collusion with the Railway officials and if so, the reaction of the Government thereto; and
- (d) the corrective steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF STARRED QUESTION NO. 455 BY SHRI SADASHIV LOKHANDE AND MS. ANNPURNA  DEVI  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  24.07.2019 REGARDING ENCROACHMENT ON RAILWAY LAND

(a)  to  (d):  As  on  31.03.2019,  out  of  4.78  lakh  hectare  land  available with  Indian  Railways,  approximately  821.46  hectare  land  (0.17%)  is under encroachment. Zone-wise details maintained by Railways are as under:-

| Zonal Railway      |   Land under encroachment (in Hectares) |
|--------------------|-----------------------------------------|
| Central            |                                   56.1  |
| Eastern            |                                   20.52 |
| East Central       |                                    1.71 |
| East Coast         |                                   13.95 |
| Northern           |                                  183.1  |
| North Central      |                                   41.49 |
| North Eastern      |                                   25.38 |
| Northeast Frontier |                                   95    |
| North Western      |                                   18.38 |
| Southern           |                                   55.42 |
| South Central      |                                   16.43 |
| South Eastern      |                                  141.75 |
| South East Central |                                   43.57 |
| South Western      |                                   16.26 |
| Western            |                                   51.94 |
| West Central       |                                   34.73 |
| Production Units   |                                    5.74 |
| Total              |                                  821.46 |

As and when any complaint against any Railway official related to  encroachment  is  received,  the  matter  is  investigated.  If  any involvement  of  the  official  is  found,  appropriate  action  is  taken  by following the prescribed procedure.

For  prevention/removal  of  encroachments,  Railways  carry  out regular surveys of encroachment and take action for their removal. If the  encroachments  are  of  temporary  nature  (soft  encroachments)  in the shape of jhuggies, jhopris and squatters, the same are 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.

Railways  face  problem  in  removal  of  encroachments  because most of the encroachers approach the Court before the final eviction. Where large numbers of encroachments are involved at one location, during eviction there is resistance from encroachers creating law and order problem.

Despite these problems, Railways is actively involved in removal of  encroachment  from  Railways  land.    Due  to  continuous  efforts, during the past three years(2016 to 2018), a total of 58.01 Hectare of Railways land, has been retrieved from encroachment.

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