Jamshedpur: The Tatanagar railway administration on Thursday carried out an anti-encroachment drive along the Kitadih–Golpahari stretch, demolishing over 22 shops as part of the ongoing redevelopment of Tatanagar Junction railway station.The eviction drive was conducted jointly by officials from the railway’s engineering and land departments, along with personnel from the Government Railway Police (GRP), the Railway Protection Force (RPF), and the local police station.
Using three bulldozers, the eviction team took over four hours to demolish the alleged illegal structures built on railway land. Authorities deployed forces at the site to maintain law and order.The razed establishments included an eatery, tea stall, confectionery shop, tent and decorator outlet, motorcycle and bicycle repair shops.“The eviction drive is being carried out in compliance with the orders of the Jharkhand high court,” said Upendra Singh, Tatanagar railway land department official. The railways had conducted a similar anti-encroachment drive along Station Road, removing several unauthorised shops in Jan, he added.Bagbera police station in-charge Gopal Krishna Yadav said the drive was peaceful.As announcements were made in the area earlier this week through public address systems, many shopkeepers vacated their premises and removed their belongings in advance.Shopkeepers, however, claimed that the HC, in its Jan 22 order, had granted them a one-month period to voluntarily remove their shops. They further said that the railway was also given 42 days to identify an alternative site and relocate the displaced vendors.“Our shops have been demolished, but we are yet to be provided with an alternative site,” said Vijay Kumar, one of the affected shopkeepers.The railway is developing the station into a state-of-the-art model facility at an estimated cost of Rs 350 crore. The redevelopment plan includes the construction of a parking zone, dedicated entry and exit lanes, and a small park at the cleared site.
