Prateek Tanmay
Western Railway on Monday cleared nearly 1,500 square metres of encroached railway land between Goregaon and Malad stations after the Bombay High Court permitted authorities to proceed with the demolition of structures built on railway property.
The demolition drive was carried out along the eastern side of the Goregaon–Malad section between kilometre markers 28/3 and 28/6, covering areas near Chincholi Phatak, Haji Bapu Road, Dhobi Ghat and Govind Nagar in Malad East.
Railway officials said 36 permanent structures and 24 temporary structures were demolished during the operation.
The action followed a February 26, 2026 order passed by the Bombay High Court in Writ Petition (L) No. 4938 of 2026 and a batch of connected petitions filed by residents occupying the land. Petitioners had sought protection against the proposed demolition, challenging the eviction process.
The court, however, declined relief, observing that the occupants failed to establish legal ownership, tenancy or any enforceable rights over the railway land, and allowed authorities to proceed with the removal of encroachments.
Court records show the matter involved 25 connected petitions concerning settlements and chawls located along the railway corridor in Malad East between kilometre markers 28/04 and 28/06.
Confirming the operation, Western Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Vineet Abhishek said the drive was conducted in compliance with the High Court’s directions.
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“In accordance with the directions of Hon’ble Bombay High Court, a demolition drive was conducted successfully today between GMN–MDD Km No. 28/3 to 28/6 (East side). Approximately 1,500 SqM area has been cleared. A total of 36 hard encroachments and 24 soft encroachments have been demolished,” Abhishek said.
Heavy security was deployed during the exercise. According to Western Railway, 168 Mumbai Police personnel, 25 Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel, 65 Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel and 80 departmental staff members were stationed at the site. Three excavators and three dumpers were used in the operation.
Officials said demolition work was carried out in phases, with 26 permanent structures removed in the initial stage before the remaining encroachments were cleared.
While authorities have not disclosed the exact number of affected families, the court proceedings involved multiple households residing in structures built on railway land. The High Court, while refusing to stay the demolition, observed that authorities should make efforts to help affected residents explore alternative accommodation options.
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The purpose of the reclaimed land has not been officially specified. However, Western Railway, Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVC) and Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), all parties to the proceedings, told the court the land was required for public infrastructure and railway-related development projects.
Western Railway said the operation concluded peacefully and that the cleared land has now been secured.
The action comes days after Western Railway conducted another large-scale demolition drive at Garib Nagar near Bandra Terminus to clear railway land following prolonged litigation. Though unrelated legally, both operations form part of ongoing court-backed efforts to reclaim land earmarked for infrastructure projects.
