The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) carried out a significant eviction drive in Guwahati on Friday, targeting alleged illegal settlements on its land in the Maligaon area. The operation aimed to clear encroachments from a plot that has been under railway ownership since 1958.
Details of the Eviction Operation
According to Kapinjal Kishore Sharma, the Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of NFR, the drive was conducted at BG Colony in Maligaon. Authorities removed 13 families residing in 18 illegal structures. Sharma stated that the land had been illegally occupied for the past three to four years, and the action followed repeated notices issued to the encroachers.
The operation was executed under tight security, involving police, CRPF, and Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel. It was conducted in the presence of two magistrates, Nabajyoti Nath and Pranab Nath. The CPRO emphasized that the process was peaceful and complied with Section 5(2) of the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971. The eviction began around 11 am and concluded by 2:45 pm.
Land Reclaimed and Future Plans
Despite the operation, the railways managed to reclaim only four bighas of land, as several structures remained in the area. A railway official explained that initially, only a few families had settled on the land, but over time, they began marking plots with bamboo and constructing permanent homes.
The official added that such eviction drives would continue. The reclaimed land parcels are significant for the railways, which plans to utilize them for future infrastructure projects, including the development of the Kamakhya railway station.
Background and Community Impact
The eviction was based on a joint memorandum issued following a letter from the deputy chief engineer on January 5. It was noted that a majority of the evicted families were Bengali-speaking Muslims. Officials stated that despite formal eviction notices, the families did not vacate the area, necessitating the drive.
This action highlights the ongoing challenge of encroachment on railway land in Guwahati and the department's efforts to secure its assets for operational and developmental use.
