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Western Railway has cleared nearly 1,500 sq m of encroached land between Goregaon and Malad stations after the Bombay High Court declined relief to occupants challenging eviction proceedings. The demolition drive covered railway land near Chincholi Phatak, Haji Bapu Road, Dhobi Ghat and Govind Nagar in Malad (East), where 36 hard and 24 soft encroachments were removed. Court records showed that the structures were classified as unauthorised constructions on railway property, with petitions filed by 25 occupants seeking rehabilitation protection under Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP) policies. The High Court observed that the petitioners failed to establish legal ownership, tenancy or enforceable rights over the land, allowing railway authorities to proceed with eviction and demolition operations.
Western Railway has carried out a large-scale demolition drive clearing nearly 1,500 sq m of encroached railway land between Goregaon and Malad stations following permission granted by the Bombay High Court in connection with a batch of eviction-related petitions. Advertisement
According to railway officials, the demolition was conducted along the eastern side of the Goregaon–Malad corridor between kilometre markers 28/3 and 28/6, covering areas near Chincholi Phatak, Haji Bapu Road, Dhobi Ghat and Govind Nagar in Malad (East). The drive reportedly resulted in removal of 36 hard encroachments and 24 soft encroachments from railway land.
Court documents reviewed in the matter showed that the dispute involved 25 connected petitions filed by occupants residing in various chawls and informal settlements located on Western Railway land in Malad (East). The structures ranged between approximately 5.95 sq m and 16.32 sq m and were classified by railway authorities as unauthorised constructions.
The petitioners had challenged eviction orders issued by the Estate Officer and Divisional Engineer (East/North), Western Railway, Mumbai Central, on 23 January 2025. Court records stated that the occupants did not dispute that the structures were situated on railway-owned land, although they claimed long-term occupation dating back to around 1980 and sought protection under rehabilitation provisions linked to the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP).
The proceedings also revealed that show-cause notices had earlier been issued on 29 August 2022 under Section 5A(2) of the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971, directing removal of unauthorised structures erected on railway property. Petitioners later submitted replies in October 2023 before eviction orders were passed in January 2025.
During the hearings, the petitioners relied on the Maharashtra government’s rehabilitation policy issued through a Government Resolution dated 12 December 2000, arguing that they qualified as Project Affected Persons (PAPs) under MUTP rehabilitation provisions. Extracts reproduced in the judgment referred to eligibility conditions for squatters, tenants and resident structure owners affected by transport infrastructure projects.
However, the High Court observed that the petitioners failed to establish legal ownership, tenancy or enforceable rights over the occupied premises. Following dismissal of their appeals before the City Civil Court, the matter proceeded before the High Court, which allowed railway authorities to continue eviction action and land clearance operations.
Railway officials stated that the demolition operation involved personnel from the Railway Protection Force, Government Railway Police, local police units and departmental staff. The clearance drive forms part of continued efforts to remove encroachments from operational railway corridors and secure land required for transport infrastructure and safety-related works across Mumbai’s suburban railway network.
Source- Indian Kanoon
5th Jun, 2025
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