Railway demolishes 70 houses in Adityapur industrial area

Jamshedpur: The railway authorities on Tuesday conducted a large-scale anti-encroachment drive in Sharma Basti, located along the railway tracks in the Adityapur industrial area.

During the drive, at least 70 makeshift and permanent structures were demolished. To ensure the operation proceeded smoothly, the railway administration deployed a significant number of security personnel, including male and female officers from the Railway Protection Force (RPF).

Adityapur Railway’s Senior Section Engineer, Sanjay Kumar Gupta, stated, “Residents of the settlement had been served notices well in advance, directing them to vacate the illegally occupied land.”

“Despite the prior warning, many residents remained in the area, prompting the railway authorities to take action. The operation proceeded without any opposition from the residents, though many appeared visibly distressed as their homes were dismantled,” Gupta added.

The South Eastern Railway’s Chakradharpur division has planned to remove encroachments along an 800-meter stretch of land from Adityapur Railway Station to the RIT Railway Bridge.

A senior railway officer explained, “The clearance is necessary for the installation of a track railing machine, which will enhance railway operations in the area.”

The railway administration emphasized that such actions are critical to ensuring safety and advancing infrastructure projects. While the operation marked progress for the railway, it left many families grappling with the loss of their homes.