The demolition of illegal structures at Garib Nagar near Bandra railway station on the Western Railway network has been completed, with all unauthorised houses and constructions in the area razed to the ground.
According to officials, the ground floor of around 100 authorised homes in the locality has been secured, while some upper floors of these buildings were also demolished as part of the drive. The removal of debris from the site began on Saturday.
The demolition drive had been underway for the past five days, targeting illegal encroachments in the area. During the removal of a religious structure, local residents reportedly attempted to stop the operation by resorting to stone pelting. Police used force, including a lathi charge, to disperse the crowd. Several police personnel and residents were injured in the incident. However, with heavy security deployment, further untoward incidents were prevented, and no major disruption occurred during the rest of the operation.
Western Railway officials confirmed that 100% of the illegal constructions were removed. The administration has now begun clearing the debris and is also planning to construct a boundary wall to prevent future encroachments. This work is expected to be completed soon, according to Western Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Vineet Abhishek.
Officials also stated that plans are being developed to improve passenger-oriented facilities in the Bandra area. New infrastructure will focus on making passenger movement smoother, improving access routes to the station, and enhancing overall convenience based on commuter needs.
The cleared encroachment zone is considered crucial for the railway’s future infrastructure expansion. With the removal of these illegal structures, space has been freed for potential capacity enhancement on one of the busiest railway corridors in the country. This is expected to support additional long-distance train services, dedicated tracks, and improved punctuality of suburban trains.
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