Mumbai: Bandra’s Garib Nagar demolition enters day 3 as WR intensifies clearance

The demolition drive at Garib Nagar in Bandra East entered its third day on Thursday with Western Railway WR intensifying clearance and security operations at the site following largescale demolitions earlier this weekSupreme Court dismisses residentsrsquo pleaThe drive had sparked protests from residents some of whom approached the Supreme Court seeking relief However the apex court dismissed the petition on the same day allowing the demolition operation to continueLatenight rubble clearance underwayLatenight clearance work was also underway at the site with WRs Permanent Way team engaged in removing debrisThe operation involves three gascutting squads from Andheri Dadar and Borivali along with 24 trackmen from Andheri Dadar Borivali and BhayanderOfficials said gas cutters are being used to remove steel channels and iron angles embedded in the debris to speed up the rubbleclearance processPermanent Way Inspector SB Singh from Andheri is supervising the operation on the groundRailway cites safety and infrastructure concernsMeanwhile WR said the demolition is being carried out primarily within the railway safety zone adjoining active tracks where unauthorised settlements pose serious risks to both human life and train operationsAccording to railway officials the stretch is operationally critical for enhancing rail capacity on one of the countryrsquos busiest corridorsThey said the removal of encroachments is necessary for railway safety operational flexibility and future infrastructure expansion including the introduction of additional longdistance train servicesAuthorities say action follows legal frameworkThe railway administration further stated that railway land particularly in safetysensitive operational areas cannot remain encroached upon indefinitely and that the action is being undertaken in accordance with legal provisions and court directionsOfficials added that the operation is being jointly carried out by the civil administration police and railway security agencies to ensure law and order and the humane execution of the driveLathicharge restores order amid violent protestsAs the antiencroachment drive at Garib Nagar in Bandra East crossed the 3000 sq m mark on Wednesday afternoon tensions escalated in the area with hundreds of residents protesting and attempting to enter the restricted demolition siteThe situation later turned chaotic forcing police personnel to carry out lathicharges at multiple locations to disperse the crowdShortly after at 520 pm stones were pelted for several minutes before the Riot Control Police charged at those responsible The mob started pelting stones at the demolition site where police personnel railway staff and journalists were presentSubsequently a team of Riot Control Police in additional safety gear led another lathicharge towards the area where stone pelters were present A few individuals were detained while the majority dispersed inside the lanes of Behram NagarWith inputs from Rajendra Aklekar