Western Railway on Thursday said nearly 85 per cent of around 500 alleged illegal structures in Mumbai’s Garib Nagar near Bandra railway station have been demolished, as the anti-encroachment drive entered its third day.
According to railway officials, the demolition process remained peaceful on Thursday and no fresh law-and-order issue was reported during the operation.
Western Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Vineet Abhishek said most of the larger permanent structures had already been removed, while smaller and temporary structures were being dismantled manually.
“About 85 per cent of the nearly 500 illegal structures in Garib Nagar near Bandra station have been demolished,” Abhishek said.
Heavy Security Deployed During Demolition Drive
Officials said around 13 machines and several dumpers were deployed on the third day of the operation. A total of nearly 1,200 personnel, including security staff, remained stationed in the area to ensure smooth execution of the drive.
The railway administration said approximately 80 metric tonnes of debris had been cleared from the site over the second and third days of the demolition using nearly 40 vehicles.
Authorities also said the land cleared during the drive would be fenced immediately after the removal of structures to prevent fresh encroachment.
Authorities Say Drive Being Conducted “Sensitively”
Railway officials said the operation was being handled with sensitivity and claimed that food and drinking water were distributed to both personnel involved in the demolition and residents who approached officials during the process.
The demolition drive began on Tuesday after the court ordered the removal of around 500 unauthorised structures in Garib Nagar, located close to Bandra station.
Stone-Pelting Incident Led to Arrests
The operation witnessed violence on Wednesday when stone-pelting broke out in the area, leaving several police personnel injured. Police later resorted to lathi-charge to bring the situation under control.
According to officials, 16 people have been arrested in connection with the violence. Police are also reviewing CCTV footage to identify and apprehend around 150 others allegedly involved in the incident.
