Mumbai: Western Railway has identified around 9,500 illegal encroachments on railway land along the Churchgate–Virar suburban corridor, with officials planning to clear the remaining structures in a phased manner. Around 500 illegal structures were removed during the anti-encroachment drive at Bandra's Garib Nagar, one of the largest such operations undertaken by the railway in recent years.
Garib Nagar Drive Part of Larger Plan
A senior Western Railway official said the Garib Nagar demolition was part of a larger exercise to reclaim railway land. "There are around 9,500 encroachments along the Churchgate–Virar corridor. The remaining encroachments will be cleared gradually and phase-wise across different locations," the official said.
The Churchgate–Virar section is among the country's busiest suburban rail corridors, carrying millions of passengers every day. Railway officials said encroachments on railway land pose safety concerns, hinder maintenance activities and create obstacles for infrastructure projects, including station upgrades and capacity enhancement works. Reclaiming railway land is essential to improve operational efficiency and facilitate future railway development.
Officials said future anti-encroachment action will be carried out in a planned manner, with coordination between the railway administration, local authorities and police to ensure smooth execution.
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