Encroachments affect around 1,068 hectares of Indian Railways land across the country, accounting for just 0.21 per cent of its total landholding of nearly 4.99 lakh hectares, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.
Replying to supplementary questions during Question Hour, Vaishnaw said the bulk of railway land is aligned with operational infrastructure. Nearly 80 per cent lies along tracks, about 5 per cent is in adjoining areas, and the remaining 15 per cent is used for stations, residential colonies, hospitals and other facilities.
“Around 0.21 per cent of Railway land is under illegal encroachment in the country,” he said.
Calling encroachment a “serious problem”, the minister said action is taken periodically, while maintaining a humanitarian approach as many such occupations involve economically weaker sections.
“It is correct that this illegal encroachment on land is a serious problem. Action has also been taken, but timely action has also been taken from time to time. But every time such an action is taken, a humanitarian approach is adopted, as the poorest people have set up jhuggis on railway land. Wherever possible, a practical solution has been taken together with state governments,” he said.
Vaishnaw said Indian Railways has stepped up efforts to prevent fresh encroachments through technology, including digitisation of land records and mapping of all plots.
“Each and every plot of land has been properly mapped and electronically preserved. Surveys have also been done through drones and satellite images of the land of all railway land. Overall, further encroachment has been stopped significantly.”
He cited coordination with state governments as key to resolving legacy encroachments, pointing to an example in Surat.
“There have been some good examples of getting railway land vacated. In Surat, we have worked together with the state government, which assured to provide houses under PM Awas Yojna to those who had encroached railway land. Hence, a humanitarian approach was adopted, and land was vacated, and development work was taken forward,” he said.
The minister added that satellite imagery and drone surveys are being used to detect new encroachments, with AI tools comparing current and reference maps.
“If any new encroachments have happened, we are able to take immediate steps. That is why fresh encroachment has significantly reduced and almost stopped. The problem is more of the encroachment that has been there for many decades now,” he said.
On land utilisation, Vaishnaw said surplus parcels are being developed through a transparent mechanism. The Railway Land Development Authority has been tasked with commercial development through open bidding, with revenue-sharing arrangements.
“During the current financial year, we are expected to receive Rs 900 crore revenue out of that, and this is going to increase significantly,” he said.
In a written reply, the minister said railway authorities carry out regular inspections and boundary verification in coordination with state agencies. Over the past five years, about 98.02 hectares of encroached railway land has been reclaimed. Vacant land is used for infrastructure projects such as multi-tracking, workshops and terminals, while land not immediately required is handed over to the Railway Land Development Authority for commercial use. |
