Mumbai’s Garib Nagar Demolition Drive Begins: Over 100 Structures Razed Near Bandra Station Amid Protests

Amid tight security and emotional protests from residents, authorities began a large-scale demolition drive on Tuesday at Garib Nagar near Bandra Railway Station, following the Bombay High Court’s permission to clear encroachments on railway land.

On the first day of the five-day operation, more than 100 structures were demolished by Western Railway officials.

Railway authorities said nearly 500 illegal structures spread over approximately 5,200 square metres have been marked for demolition.

However, close to 100 homes belonging to residents deemed eligible for rehabilitation will not be touched during the drive.

Officials claimed that around 20 per cent of the targeted demolition work was completed on the opening day, slightly ahead of the planned schedule.

The operation involved a massive deployment of manpower and machinery. More than 1,000 railway personnel, including teams from the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP), and engineering departments, were stationed at the site.

Bulldozers, JCB machines, forklifts, and trucks were used to remove the structures. To prevent any law-and-order situation, the Mumbai Police also deployed over 400 police personnel, along with ambulances and police vans around the locality.

As demolition work progressed, tensions quickly rose in the area. Many residents gathered on the streets in protest, accusing authorities of forcing them out without giving them enough time to relocate.

Several families were seen sitting beside piles of salvaged household items after being denied entry into the cleared sections. Barricades were placed around demolished portions to restrict access.

For many families, the drive has triggered deep uncertainty and financial distress.

Forty-year-old Attaulah Ansari, who works part-time with a catering company, said he had nowhere to go after his home was demolished.

Sitting beside his belongings with his wife, two-year-old daughter, and brother-in-law, he questioned how he could afford a security deposit or arrange alternative accommodation with his limited income.

The impact has also been severe on migrant workers and tenants living in shared rented rooms.

Mohammed Shahveer, a 25-year-old bhelpuri seller who shared a room with eight others in Garib Nagar, said the sudden demolition left them stranded overnight.

He added that despite repeated attempts, he had been unable to contact his landlord since the operation began.

Several residents alleged that they were not given sufficient notice before the eviction drive.

According to locals, railway officials had been conducting surveys in the area for several days, but an official announcement regarding demolition was reportedly made only on Monday evening.

Residents argued that the homes represented years of savings and hard work, and that they should have been granted at least a month to arrange alternate housing.

Railway authorities, however, defended the action, stating that the demolition was being carried out strictly under court orders and after years of legal proceedings.

In an official statement, Western Railway said eviction proceedings under the Public Premises Act had begun before 2017, and formal eviction orders were issued in November that year.

The matter remained tied up in litigation for nearly nine years before the Bombay High Court, in its April 29 order, finally allowed the railways to proceed with the clearance operation.

Vineet Abhishek, Chief Public Relations Officer of Western Railway, said the High Court had directed the railways to clear the entire encroached area within seven days of the judgment.

He added that the demolition drive was being conducted with support from the state administration, civic authorities, and the police department.

Officials said the reclaimed land would be used for the proposed Integrated Bandra Railway Complex, a major infrastructure project aimed at strengthening Mumbai’s western suburban rail network.

The project is expected to facilitate the expansion of the sixth railway line between Bandra Terminus and Mumbai Central Railway Station, which will be dedicated exclusively to long-distance trains.

According to railway officials, the expansion would allow the introduction of nearly 50 additional mail and express train services from Bandra Terminus, significantly increasing the station’s current capacity of 21 train services.

Garib Nagar has witnessed demolition drives in the past as well. In 2017, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation had demolished several structures in the area after issuing a 48-hour notice.

Officials said portions of the land belong to the civic body, while the remaining sections fall under railway ownership.