Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, Jan 5: The Supreme Court on Thursday overturned the Uttarakhand High Court’s order to remove encroachments on Indian Railways’ property in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, which would have forced the eviction of more than 4,000 families who are currently living there.
The manner in which the Indian Railways intended to carry out the eviction was rejected by a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and AS Oka.
“There shall be a stay on the directions passed by the High Court,” the top court ordered.
The Court made it clear that just the High Court’s instructions had stayed and that we had not suspended the proceedings. The Court further declared that no more building or development is permitted on the in dispute land.
The decision was made after it was noted that the impacted parties have owned the property in question for many years, with the majority of them claiming ownership and many having resided there for 60 or more years.
Therefore, since the problem has a human aspect, rehabilitation steps should be taken.
Following a December 2022, order from the Uttarakhand High Court mandating the removal of encroachments, more than 4,000 residents in Haldwani’s Banbhoolpura neighbourhood face eviction from railway land.
People who are being forced to leave the property where they have lived for many years filed the current petition after the High Court turned down their request for relief.
The matter was postponed for further consideration on February 7 after the Court heard from the parties and sent a notice to the State of Uttarakhand and Indian Railways.
