Lok Sabha Question No. 547 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-16
Subject: Encroachment by Slums near Railway Tracks
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Kaushal Kishore

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 547 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.09.2020

## ENCROACHMENT BY SLUMS NEAR RAILWAY TRACKS

- †547.   SHRI KAUSHAL KISHORE:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  jhuggis/slum  areas  along  the  railway  tracks  in  several States  including  Delhi  have  been  instructed  to  be  removed  as  per  the recent Supreme Court orders;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  has  any  data  regarding  the  jhuggis/slums situated  illegally  along  the  railway  tracks  in  different  States  including Uttar Pradesh;
- (d) if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether any incident of deaths of migrant workers while sleeping on the  railway  tracks  during  lockdown  imposed  due  to  COVID-19  has  been reported recently and the details thereof; and
- (f) if  so,  the  reaction  of  the  Government  thereto  and  the  compensation provided  by  the  State  Government/  Central  Government  to  their  family members?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

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

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STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (f) OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  547  BY  SHRI  KAUSHAL  KISHORE  TO  BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 16.09.2020 REGARDING ENCROACHMENT BY SLUMS NEAR RAILWAY TRACKS

- (a)  and (b):  Hon'ble Supreme Court in its order dated 31.08.2020 in Writ Petition(s)  No.(s)13029/1985  issued  in  the  context  of  piling  up  of  the waste/garbage  by  the  sides  of  railway  tracks  in  Delhi  has  directed  for preparation of a comprehensive plan for removal of jhuggis present along the railway track and removal of encroachments in the safety zone in the region of National Capital Territory of Delhi within a period of 3 months.
- (c)  and  (d):  Most  of  the  encroachments  on  Railway  land  are  in  the approaches  of  stations  in  Metros  and  big  cities  in  the  form  of  slums around railway tracks. The State-wise details are not maintained by the Railways. However, the Zone-wise details which include encroachment in Uttar Pradesh also, as on 31.03.2020, are as given below:

## (Figures in Hectares)

| Zonal Railway      |   Land under encroachment as on 31.03.2020 |
|--------------------|--------------------------------------------|
| Central            |                                      56.1  |
| Eastern            |                                      20.52 |
| East Central       |                                       1.52 |
| East Coast         |                                      13.89 |
| Northern           |                                     175.99 |
| North Central      |                                      41.44 |
| North Eastern      |                                      25.39 |
| Northeast Frontier |                                      93.93 |
| North Western      |                                      18.29 |
| Southern           |                                      54.79 |
| South Central      |                                      15.98 |
| South Eastern      |                                     141.16 |
| Southeast Central  |                                      42.99 |
| South Western      |                                      16.26 |
| Western            |                                      53.93 |
| West Central       |                                      36.65 |
| Production Units   |                                       5.72 |
| Total              |                                     814.55 |

(e) and (f): An unusual incident of run over of 16 migrant labourers by a Goods Train was reported between Badnapur-Karmad Railway Stations of Parbhani-Manmad  broad  gauge  section  of  Nanded  Division  of  South Central Railway on 08.05.2020. Since the Railways were not at fault, no compensation  or  ex-gratia  was  paid  in  this  case.  However,  purely  on humanitarian grounds, an amount of ` 32 Lakh at the rate of ` 2 Lakh each to the family of 16 labourers was paid by Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF), wherein the payment was disbursed through South Central and  South  East  Central  Railways.  Further,  the  Government  of  Madhya Pradesh  has  also announced  compensation  to  the  families of the deceased.

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