Mumbai: After Bandra’s Garib Nagar, 3,762 Kurla-Trombay Rail Line Slum Tenements To Get Fresh Eviction Notices

Mumbai: Central Railway (CR) authorities will begin issuing fresh eviction notices this week to occupants of 3,762 unauthorised tenements along the Kurla-Trombay railway line, following a recent Bombay High Court order permitting their removal over safety concerns and to facilitate railway infrastructure expansion.

“We will issue notices asking encroachers to vacate the premises within 30 days and take further action thereafter, in accordance with the court’s directions,” a Central Railway official said as quoted by Hindustan Times.

Bombay High Court Orders Fresh Notices

On October 7, the Bombay High Court directed railway authorities to issue fresh notices to occupants of the tenements after hearing a plea filed by seven affected residents. The court noted that the occupants had previously been served show-cause notices in 2022 under Section 4 of the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971, asking them to explain why eviction orders should not be issued.

The fresh notices will call upon occupants to remove the unauthorised structures and hand over possession of the railway land within seven days of receiving the notice, failing which the Railways may remove the structures in accordance with the law and recover the associated costs. The court also directed Central Railway to explore rehabilitation options for the affected families and provide interim financial assistance of Rs 2,000 per month for six months.

The move follows similar action taken in Bandra's Garib Nagar earlier this year where more than 500 unauthorised structures were demolished for the expansion of a Western Railway rail line project. Nearly 100 families who were eligible for rehabilitation were provided homes by MMRDA.

Railway Land Needed For Expansion

The tenements occupy nearly 9,000 square metres of railway land along the Kurla-Trombay line, which is used exclusively for freight movement, including oil tankers serving industrial establishments and petroleum installations in Mumbai’s eastern suburbs.

The structures are situated close to the tracks and overhead electrical wires, raising concerns over fire safety and the risks associated with railway operations. The land is also required for the proposed fifth and sixth railway lines between Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and Kurla, according to officials.

10 Injured In Crane Collapse Incident Earlier

Safety concerns came into sharp focus on August 21, when a 250-tonne hydraulic crane toppled onto slum tenements in Qureshi Nagar, Kurla, where the affected structures are located. The crane was being used to demolish a nearby dilapidated building when it collapsed, injuring 10 people, damaging several tenements and bringing down overhead electrical wires. The incident also disrupted freight train movement.

The fresh notices mark the next step in the eviction process, with railway authorities directed to proceed in accordance with the High Court’s order while exploring rehabilitation measures for affected families.

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