All illegal structures razed at Garib Nagar near Bandra station, says WR

The Western Railway demolished over 500 unauthorised structures near Bandra station, with the remaining work expected to be completed by Saturday afternoon.

All unauthorised structures at Garib Nagar near Bandra station were razed on Friday, the fourth day of a major demolition drive launched by the Western Railway to clear illegal encroachments along the busy railway tracks, officials said.

Chief public relations officer Vineet Abhishek confirmed that around 500 illegal shanties have been removed since May 19, while the Supreme Court earlier in the day dismissed a special leave petition challenging the eviction drive.

He said that the Bombay High Court had directed the authorities not to completely tear down 100 structures. Hence, the ground floors of these shanties have been retained, while the upper floors are being razed.

Around 50 per cent of that work has been completed, and the remaining demolition of upper floors is expected to be completed by Saturday afternoon, the official said.

''The upper floors are being demolished manually and not with machines to ensure the ground floors remain intact,'' he said, adding that all safety protocols are being followed in accordance with the high court's directive.

According to the Western Railway, debris from the demolished structures is being cleared simultaneously and transported to designated disposal sites.

Work on fencing and barricading at the site has also commenced, Abhishek said.

Around 1,200 personnel, including security staff, have been deployed since the demolition drive began on May 19, and the deployment strength will remain unchanged on the final day of the operation, he said.

Western Railway launched the demolition drive earlier this week to remove around 500 unauthorised structures following the High Court's directive.

The area witnessed stone-pelting on Wednesday, resulting in several cops getting injured. The police had to resort to a lathi charge to restore normalcy.

It has led to the arrest of 16 persons, while police are scanning CCTV footage from the area to apprehend another 150 allegedly involved in the violence.