On the issue of the threat of eviction looming large over 70,000 people in Haldwani in Uttarakhand, Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw has said that housing is a State subject and responsibility for providing alternative sites for rehabilitation or resettlement as well as bearing cost of the same vests with the State governments or urban local bodies.
The Minister stated this in a written reply to a question asked in Rajya Sabha.
“Section 147 of Railway Act only provides for eviction of unauthorised occupants from Railway land,” said Mr. Vaishnaw.
On being asked what were the steps taken by the government to clarify the policy of ownership of disputed land, Mr. Vaishnaw said that as per the authenticated land plan of 2003 duly certified by revenue authorities and as per joint survey report of 2017 conducted by team of Railways, Revenue and Nagar Nigam authorities of the area, the ownership of the land vests with the Railways.
He further stated, “As the area is under encroachment, eviction process was started in compliance with High Court’s order dated December 20, 2022. At present, the eviction process has been stopped as the matter is subjudice before the Supreme Court.”
A timely halt: On the Haldwani eviction issue
On the steps government will take with regard to the schools, banks, religious sites and State institutions on the Railway land, while at the same time declaring its long time occupants as ‘encroachers,’ and reasons for eviction despite legal documentation and generational land holding proof of the affected, Mr. Vaishnaw stated that Railways carry out eviction process for removal of encroachment of any type of Railway land. “If the encroachments are of a temporary nature in shape of jhuggies, jhopries, squatters, the same are removed in consultation with and assistance of Railway Protection Force and local civil authorities. For old encroachments, where party is not amenable to persuasion, action is taken under Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Act, 1971, with assistance of the State government and police,” he said.
