By NE NOW NEWS
Guwahati: Over 200 huts were demolished in Guwahati’s Jalukbari area on Friday as the Railway Department carried out an eviction drive against alleged encroachments on railway land.
The operation was executed with strong security deployment involving Assam Police, RPF, CRPF, and executive magistrates.
The clearance drive is part of plans to expand railway infrastructure, including new track laying and connectivity-related projects.
Despite multiple eviction drives in recent years, the low-lying wetland area near Jalukbari continued to witness repeated illegal settlements, officials said.
Most of the structures removed were temporary shelters, according to authorities, who also alleged that some occupants had built multiple units and rented them out, contributing to the expansion of the settlement.
A senior railway official said the land belongs to the Railways and is required for ongoing and upcoming infrastructure works. He noted that the encroached stretch includes swampy terrain and has remained under illegal occupation for years.
The area is needed for major projects such as double-line track expansion stretching from the Brahmaputra riverfront towards Adabari.
Officials estimated that around 200 families were living in the settlement, with many claiming long-term residence of five to six years. The habitation also extends into an area locally known as Adil Shah Lane.
Repeated clearance operations in the past have failed to provide a permanent solution, officials said, adding that encroachments often reappeared after earlier drives. They also claimed that demolished huts were rebuilt within a short span in several instances.
Railway authorities stated that the clearance drive would go on until the whole area is freed and further encroachments are stopped.
Security personnel were deployed across the area to ensure peace and prevent any disturbance.