PUNE: According to its latest survey, the Pune Railway Division has identified about 9,000 encroachments on its land spread over 14.16 hectares spread from Pune to Kolhapur, Daund and Lonavla. Of these, about 80 per cent are near railway tracks and railway properties in Pune.
The Railways administration conducts encroachment surveys every year. As per the latest report, encroachments have increased to 9,000 in the division. Density of encroachments remains highest in Pune-Lonavla section with 6,000 cases. Besides this, about 2,000 encroachments were identified along the Pune-Kolhapur track.
The railway administration, however, said there has been no significant increase in encroachments in the last couple of years because of continuous vigil and sharp patrolling. Encroachments have also come up on vacant lands owned by the Railways in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. The administration has issued notices in some cases, while some cases are pending in courts for many years.
Railway officials said the administration recently initiated action in 250 cases.
The encroachments were removed as they were affecting routine work of the Railway. Most encroachments were illegal constructions and huts.
Recently, the Railway administration took action against encroached area in Pimpri Railway Station. The action was taken with the help of Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP) and City Police. The areas encroached were towards Lonavla on the up platform. The administration removed 78 huts and 17 shops. Several notices were sent before Diwali and eviction notices were also served.
Milind Deouskar, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) said, “We are continuously monitoring our railway tracks. We served notices to the person who encroached on our land. The people residing near the railway tracks are always involved in stone pelting, which we witnessed recently. When Mumbai-bound trains come from Chennai, people throw stones at the moving trains. Several times the Pune Municipal Corporation and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation have been urged to develop toilets in their jurisdictions. People use the railway tracks for open defecation, which is invitation to accidents.”
Encroached land
Pune Railway Division: 14.75 hectares (9000 huts) encroached
Pune to Ghorpadi section 6.8 hectares (5500) of land encroached
Pune to Lonavala section 7.36 hectares (3700 huts) of land encroached
