Supreme Court Asks for Rehabilitation Plan for Haldwani Residents Affected by Railway Expansion

New Delhi, July 24: The Supreme Court of India has directed the Centre and state government to create a rehabilitation plan for people asked to vacate railway land in Haldwani, Uttarakhand. A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and Ujjal Bhuyan instructed railway authorities and governments to identify the land needed for railway track expansion and the families that will be affected. This task must be completed within four weeks, with the next hearing scheduled for September 11.

The court was hearing an application from the railways to lift a stay on the eviction of encroachments from railway land to protect the railway tracks and Haldwani railway station. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati requested the bench to vacate the stay, citing that several railway expansion plans have been delayed due to the lack of available land. Haldwani is a crucial station as it is the gateway to the hills and the last station before the Kumaon region.

The bench noted that approximately 30.04 hectares of railway-owned land have been encroached upon, with 4,365 houses and over 50,000 people living there. The railways emphasized the urgent need for part of the land where a defunct railway line needs to be shifted, along with other necessary infrastructure.

The bench acknowledged the human aspect, stating, “Assuming they are encroachers, the ultimate question is whether they are all human beings. They have lived there for decades. These are all pucca houses. Courts can’t be ruthless, but at the same time, courts cannot encourage people to encroach.”

In 2023, residents approached the Supreme Court against the Uttarakhand High Court’s order to remove unauthorized occupants near Haldwani railway station. The High Court had ordered the removal of 4,365 encroachments from the Banbhoolpura area of Haldwani, giving one week’s notice to the occupants. Residents, who have lived there for many decades, protested against the removal.

The petitioners, who are poor residents of Mohalla Nai Basti, Haldwani, stated that they have been lawful residents for over 70 years, with their names in municipal records and regular payment of house tax. The area also includes five government schools, one hospital, and two overhead water tanks. The plea highlighted that the long-established possession of the petitioners and their ancestors has been recognized by the state, with gas and water connections and Aadhaar card numbers issued to them.