Kolkata, June 16 (IANS) Tension flared at Habra railway station in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district after protests broke out during a major anti-encroachment drive launched by railway authorities in the early hours of Tuesday to remove alleged illegal shops and structures from railway land and station premises.

According to the police, owners of shops and structures built on railway property had been served notices earlier this month and were asked to vacate the land by June 15. As many occupants failed to comply, railway authorities launched a demolition drive to clear the encroachments.

The police said that central security forces were deployed on the station premises at around 1 a.m on Tuesday to avert any untoward incident. Personnel from the Government Railway Police (GRP), Railway Protection Force (RPF), and state police were also present to maintain law and order during the operation. Announcements were made through loudspeakers informing residents and shopkeepers about the action.

As demolition work began, several hawkers and traders gathered at the site and protested against the eviction. Railway officials maintained that notice had been issued and that occupants had been given adequate time to remove their establishments voluntarily. After the deadline expired, the authorities began to clear the area.

Apart from temporary stalls, several permanent structures allegedly built on railway land were also demolished. Local sources claimed that an office of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) situated on the encroached land was among the structures removed during the operation. Left activists staged a protest at the station premises. An argument reportedly broke out between protesters and police when they were asked to vacate the area, though no major untoward incident was reported.

Habra is among the busiest railway stations in North 24 Parganas, catering to thousands of commuters every day. Over the years, encroachments and unauthorised shops had expanded around the station premises, leading to congestion and inconvenience for passengers, particularly during peak office hours. Many daily commuters had long demanded action to clear the area.

The Habra operation is part of a broader railway initiative to remove encroachments from station premises and railway land across the state. Similar drives have previously been conducted at Howrah, Sealdah, Jadavpur, and Dum Dum stations.

Some shopkeepers questioned the legality of the demolition drive and alleged that their livelihoods had been disrupted without rehabilitation measures. Hawkers’ organisations also staged protests in several places, demanding protection for businesses and income.

–IANS

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