Railways demolishes 'illegal' shops in major eviction drive in Kolkata

Following the roadmap created as soon as the BJP government came to power in West Bengal, the Indian Railways carried out a major eviction drive at Park Circus railway station in Kolkata late on Saturday, demolishing several allegedly illegal shops built on railway land after occupants were unable to comply with eviction notices issued earlier this month.

As with earier eviction drives, there was no word on when, or if at all, the alleged encroachers could expect rehabilitation.

The operation, which lasted around two-and-a-half hours, was conducted under heavy security, with personnel from the Railway Protection Force (RPF), local police and the Rapid Action Force (RAF) deployed to maintain law and order.

According to railway officials, notices had been served to shop owners and vendors operating on railway land in the Sealdah South Section of the Eastern Railway, directing them to vacate the premises. However, after the occupants failed to comply, authorities launched the demolition drive using bulldozers.

Before the operation began, officials made repeated announcements over loudspeakers asking traders to remove their belongings and vacate the area. After waiting for a brief period, demolition teams moved in and razed the structures.

The Park Circus station area has long been home to reported encroachment, with numerous allegedly unauthorised shops occupying railway land.

The Park Circus operation is part of a broader so-called anti-encroachment campaign undertaken by the railways in recent months. Similar drives have already been conducted at railway stations across West Bengal, including Howrah, Sealdah, Dum Dum, Jadavpur and Habra to reclaim railway property from 'illegal' occupation.

Meanwhile, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has also intensified its crackdown on encroachments across the city. Civic authorities have issued notices to reportedly unauthorised vendors operating beneath the Sealdah flyover in north Kolkata and Sukanta Setu in the southern outskirts, directing them to vacate the sites within seven days.

The notices warn that failure to comply will invite action under provisions of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980.

With IANS inputs