Central Railway took decisive action to remove encroachers from 17 illegally occupied railway quarters located at the Tadiwala Road premises in Pune. The operation, conducted over two days with the assistance of local police, aimed to reclaim these quarters that had been unlawfully taken over by intruders.
The quarters, situated within multi-storied railway-owned buildings, were forcibly occupied by individuals who broke locks and enlisted the help of local criminal elements. Many of these quarters were in a state of disrepair and were not being utilized by the railways.
According to Ramdas Bhise, Divisional Commercial Manager responsible for public relations, the eviction drive was prompted by the railway’s decision to regain control over its properties that had been illegally occupied. The Pune Railway Division, under the supervision of DRM Indu Dubey and Additional Divisional Railway Manager B K Singh, carried out inspections and evictions during August 22 and 23.
Bhise explained, “The railways has decided to conduct anti-encroachment drives to free its properties from unauthorised occupation. The first drive was undertaken on Tuesday and Thursday in some locations of Tadiwala Road. We have successfully evicted the unauthorised people from 17 quarters within two days. The drive will continue.”
To deter any future encroachments on abandoned quarters, measures have been taken such as removing doors and windows from ground floor quarters and damaging toilets. Upper floor rooms have been securely locked with iron rods, and utilities like water and electricity have been disconnected. Additionally, plans are underway to construct cemented walls on the stairs to prevent access to the upper floors.
As part of a larger strategy, authorities are considering relocating railway employees to alternative residential quarters, which would enable the demolition of old, unused quarters, freeing up valuable space for potential development. This proactive approach ensures that railway-owned properties are restored and effectively utilized while addressing unauthorized occupation.
