NF Rail conducts eviction drive in Silchar's Tarapur following repeated warnings

In early February this year, the Estate Officer of North East Frontier Railway has issued a notice with a 10-day deadline to evacuate Indian Railway’s encroached land in Tarapur, Silchar. After a long wait, the evacuation drive has started today, in the presence of Railway Officers and Police authorities, after the illegal occupants refused to vacate their house. Nearly 170 families including business establishments dwell in the area lying between the Tarapur Athletic Club to India Club, Silchar.

Notice about the evacuation drive was issued by the Railway Estate, not once but thrice, but the residents didn’t bother to move. Today, the Railway authorities helplessly had to use force and clear the encroached lands under their jurisdiction using bulldozers. The people residing there are the voters of the same Ward number 24 and have been living in similar conditions for more or less, the last fifty years. Their argument is, “We don’t have any other place to go, we can’t even afford to rent a house”.

While the Railways have expansion plans, these dwellers have been given enough time to clear out these lands. The Railway Colony dweller’s cry for help is unheard. On Tuesday morning a local, seeing her home being demolished lamented, “We’ve knocked the doors of the local MLA many times to give us a place to live. We are all from below the poverty line and have been living here for so many years now. Where should we go? Our kids will die out of starvation if we don’t receive any help. My request is to the Chief Minister of Assam to shelter us”.

The eviction drive that has begun on March 29, with bulldozers along with officials from the Police and Railway Department has been successful in clearing out much of the land earmarked for expansion. With the blink of an eye, these machines could level to the ground a home that has existed for so many years now.