SC to hear plea against removal of encroachments in Haldwani on Thursday

The Supreme Court will hear a plea challenging the Uttarakhand High Court's plea directing the removal of encroachments from 29 acres of railway land in Haldwani on Thursday.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices S A Nazeer and P S Narasimha posted the matter for hearing after advocate Prashant Bhushan mentioned the matter.

Bhushan submitted that the case -- of more than 5,000 houses in Haldwani being demolished -- is similar to the matter scheduled to be heard on Thursday.

The apex court agreed to tag the matter and posted the matter for hearing on Thursday.

Earlier, some Haldwani residents had moved the top court on the issue.

The Uttarakhand High Court on December 20 ordered the removal of encroachments from 29 acres of railway land in the town's Banbhoolpura area after giving a one week advance notice to encroachers to vacate it.

Thousands of residents of Banbhoolpura had protested the removal of encroachments, saying it will render them homeless and jeopardise the future of their schoolgoing children. The move will affect a large number of women, children and the elderly.