Haldwani Eviction Case: Houses Will Not Be Bulldozed Immediately, Supreme Court Stays Uttarakhand HC Order

New Delhi: A hearing was held in the Supreme Court on Wednesday regarding the eviction of 4,000 families from railway land in Uttarakhand. The Supreme Court bench told the Uttarakhand government that so many people have been living there for a long time. 

The SC said that their rehabilitation is necessary. This should happen. How will these people vacate the land in 7 days? The Supreme Court stayed the order of the Uttarakhand High Court and said – 50 thousand people cannot be uprooted overnight in 7 days.

No further construction and development on that land

The Supreme Court said that now there will be no construction and development on that land. We have not stopped this entire process. Stayed only on the orders of the High Court. The next hearing of this case will be on February 7. 

The Uttarakhand High Court had ordered the demolition of illegal encroachment on 29 acres of railway land. More than 4 thousand families live from there.

The Uttarakhand High Court had held that the area in question is the property of the railway, and not Nazul land, as claimed by the dwellers. 

It may be noted that there are religious places, schools, business establishments, and residences built on the area which is spread over 29 acres.

The administration even started serving eviction notices to the occupants on the strength of the HC’s order and a total of 4,365 encroachments will be removed from the area.

Families were opposing eviction

Several families, who have now been declared unauthorized occupants, have been living in the area for decades. The said encroachers have been strongly opposing this order and they have taken to the streets to raise their voices. 

They said it will render them homeless and jeopardize the future of their school-going children. The move will affect a large number of women, children, and the elderly.

Railways issued notices through newspapers asking the encroachers to remove the encroachments within a week i.e. by January 9. Railway and district administration have warned of demolishing the houses if they do not do so. People are now demonstrating to save their homes.