Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated on Friday in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha that out of approximately 4.99 lakh hectares of land under Indian Railways, 1,068.54 hectares were encroached upon across the country for extended periods. The minister highlighted that regular surveys are conducted to identify and address such encroachments.

Vaishnaw explained that temporary “soft” encroachments, such as jhuggis, jhopris, and squatters, are removed with the assistance of the Railway Protection Force and local authorities. For long-standing “hard” encroachments in the form of permanent structures, action is taken under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971, with support from state governments and local police.

The minister noted that once retrieved, the encroached land is repurposed for various railway infrastructure projects, including multi-tracking, station development, plantations, and staff amenities, depending on the site’s suitability. This ensures that recovered land directly contributes to the expansion and modernization of the rail network.

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Over the past five years, Vaishnaw reported that 98.02 hectares of railway land have been successfully cleared from illegal occupation. He added that land not immediately needed for railway operations is handed over to the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) for commercial use, generating revenue and boosting development.

The minister stressed that these efforts form part of a broader strategy to safeguard railway assets and ensure land is used optimally for both infrastructure and economic growth. Regular monitoring and coordinated action with local authorities remain key to tackling encroachments nationwide.

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