Advertisement
What really powers the cloud? Behind every Google search, A...
A lot of what defines a home isn’t visible at handover. I...
Private equity has played a significant role in shaping Indi...
Luxury real estate is one of the most talked-about segments ...
Airports play a much bigger role than just enabling travel -...
• Western Railway’s anti-encroachment drive at Garib Nagar in Bandra East intensified as demolition activity continued for railway expansion and infrastructure works.
• Clashes and protests broke out during the operation after structures, including local religious premises, were affected during the clearance exercise.
• The land is being cleared for proposed fifth and sixth railway lines, station integration works and broader transport upgrades linked to Mumbai’s western rail corridor.
Western Railway’s ongoing anti-encroachment drive at Garib Nagar in Bandra East escalated into clashes and protests as demolition activity intensified across railway land required for suburban rail expansion projects in Mumbai. The large-scale clearance exercise, which began earlier this week, forms part of infrastructure works linked to capacity augmentation on the western railway corridor and connectivity improvements around Bandra station and Bandra Terminus. Advertisement
The demolition operation is being carried out on railway land adjoining Bandra East, where authorities are planning additional railway lines between Santacruz and Mumbai Central. Officials stated that the project is intended to improve segregation between suburban and long-distance rail operations, reduce congestion and strengthen commuter rail capacity on one of Mumbai’s busiest suburban corridors.
Heavy police deployment, including personnel from the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP) and local police units, remained stationed across the demolition site as authorities continued clearing structures built along the railway alignment. Bulldozers and demolition teams were deployed through multiple sections of Garib Nagar during the operation.
Tensions escalated during the drive after demolition activity reportedly affected local religious structures within the settlement area, triggering protests and confrontations between residents and security personnel. According to reports, police resorted to crowd-control measures after sections of residents gathered near the demolition zone and objected to the ongoing clearance exercise.
Residents affected by the operation raised concerns regarding rehabilitation, relocation arrangements and notice periods linked to the eviction process. Several families stated that they had been residing in the locality for decades and were struggling to secure alternate housing amid rising rental costs in nearby areas of Bandra and adjoining suburbs.
Railway authorities maintained that the land-clearing exercise was being undertaken following court approvals permitting removal of encroachments from railway property. Officials stated that notices and administrative procedures had been initiated earlier as part of the process required for the planned infrastructure expansion.
The anti-encroachment drive is also linked to broader transport integration plans around Bandra and the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC), where multiple transport and mobility infrastructure projects are underway. Authorities are simultaneously working on improved connectivity between Bandra suburban station and Bandra Terminus to support growing passenger movement in the area.
Urban transport planners have repeatedly identified the western suburban corridor as one of Mumbai’s most capacity-constrained railway networks. Additional rail lines and station integration projects are being viewed as critical to improving operational flexibility, increasing train frequency and easing congestion across the suburban system.
The demolition drive at Garib Nagar also reflects the growing pace of land-clearance operations linked to infrastructure projects across Mumbai, where railway, metro and road expansion works frequently intersect with densely populated informal settlements. Land acquisition and rehabilitation challenges have historically delayed execution timelines for several large transport projects in the city.
Railway officials stated that demolition and site-clearance operations would continue in phases over the coming days before construction activity begins on the planned rail infrastructure works in the Bandra section.
5th Jun, 2025
25th May, 2023
11th May, 2023
27th Apr, 2023
Advertisement
Facebook
Whatsapp
