Western Railway launches massive Anti-Encroachment drive in Mumbai’s Bandra
Western Railway launched a large-scale anti-encroachment drive in Mumbai’s Garib Nagar area in Bandra East as part of its railway land redevelopment and expansion plans.
The operation is being carried out with support from civic authorities, police personnel and railway security agencies to maintain law and order during the demolition process. Visuals from the site showed bulldozers clearing unauthorised structures amid heavy police deployment.
Officials said the drive is expected to continue over the next four days. The land-clearing exercise is linked to Western Railway’s long-pending fifth and sixth railway line expansion project between Santacruz and Mumbai Central aimed at reducing suburban rail congestion.
Railway authorities stated that the land also holds strategic importance for future commercial redevelopment projects under the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA).
The Bombay High Court had earlier permitted the removal of illegal structures built on railway land, observing that encroachments and waste accumulation posed safety risks to railway operations and infrastructure.
The redevelopment initiative is part of broader railway modernisation efforts focused on improving Mumbai’s suburban rail connectivity and operational efficiency.
