Rourkela: The fate of a railway expansion project along Panposh-Bandhamunda rail route hangs in balance due to rapid growth of about 20 slums on both sides of this stretch, a report said.
Railway authorities find it difficult to remove the encroachment despite serving a number of eviction notices on the slum dwellers. With the mushrooming of slums, construction of a railway yard, washing line and more platforms has hit a roadblock.
According to reports, removing the slums has become a daunting task for the railway authorities as the residents have turned out to be vote banks for politicians.
Some local leaders manage to offer immunity to the slums whenever the railway authorities attempt an eviction move.
Local politicos don’t show any interest in developing the railways whereas they are overtly keen to facilitate slum residents with ration cards, electricity, water and develop better road network inside slums, it is alleged. As a result, the encroachment along the rail tracks is increasing by the day.
According to sources in the railways, the authorities had planned to set up a railway yard, washing line and additional platforms, second entrance and parking place in 2013.
The people residing illegally along the tracks were served notices to vacate the site. However, they vehemently resisted the eviction drive getting support from local political leaders. With such encroachments, the grant released by the Union railway ministry gets returned every year, officials said.
When contacted, BJP leader Jagabandhu Behera said slums can be removed at any moment. However, the inhabitants should be rehabilitated first before being evicted as they have been staying there for years, he added.
Citing an example, Behera said some slum dwellers were evicted from Seven Hills, Gopabandhupalli and Kumbharpada in the past and were subsequently rehabilitated, thanks to RSP authorities who offered them land.
Minati Devata, a local BJD leader, said the slums have become vote banks for political leaders. Eviction of slums dwellers is essential for execution of development projects, she added. PNN
