The Western Railway administration has finished a significant anti-encroachment operation near Bandra railway station in Mumbai. All illegal structures and shanties in the Garib Nagar area of Bandra East were demolished. Debris clearance work has now started following the five-day operation.
Railway officials confirmed the complete demolition of unauthorized structures, while the ground floors of approximately 100 authorized houses were left intact for safety reasons. However, the illegal upper floors of these buildings were taken down.
The demolition drive faced some unrest when a local religious structure was being demolished, leading to residents throwing stones at authorities to stop the process. Police had to intervene with a cane-charge to control the situation. Despite this incident, the rest of the demolition proceeded smoothly.
Western Railway has declared a 100% completion of the demolition against unauthorized structures. Debris removal is underway, and plans for a protective boundary wall construction have been initiated to prevent future encroachments. The cleared land around Bandra station has opened up, easing commuting for passengers.
Plans are in place for introducing passenger-centric amenities in the Bandra area to enhance passenger comfort. The cleared space holds strategic importance for future infrastructure expansion and additional train services. This development is crucial for improving passenger capacity and train punctuality in one of the country’s busiest railway corridors.
The reclaimed land will support multiple railway projects to alleviate Mumbai’s commuter congestion, including expanding the fifth and sixth railway lines on the Santacruz–Mumbai Central corridor. This expansion will separate local suburban trains from long-distance services, enhancing local train punctuality.
Moreover, the cleared area will improve connectivity between Bandra suburban station and Bandra Terminus, enabling the introduction of up to 50 new long-distance trains. The enhanced access will benefit the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) and the upcoming Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train station.
