Railways declares February as anti-encroachment month

[Salman]

Railways declares February as anti-encroachment month

The Pakistan Railways has declared February as anti-encroachment month and decided to take action to retrieve the railway's land illegally occupied by land grabbers across the country.

A comprehensive action plan has been chalked out which is likely to be implemented in the first week of the next month, sources in Pakistan Railways told Business Recorder on Monday.

Syed Ibne Hussain, IGP Railways said that special instructions have been issued to all SPs of Railways to co-ordinate and retrieve the precious Railway land from the land grabber.

He warned that the Railway Police and staff concerned would be held responsible if someone reoccupies the retrieved property.

It is pertinent to mention here that more than 1,41,569 kanal agriculture and commercial land of the Pakistan Railways had remained unutilised due to financial crunch for the last couple of years in the country which allured the people to occupy it.

A senior officer of PR Property and Land Department record revealed that the Railways Administration had not made any attempt to utilise this huge property to generate revenue and tide over the budget deficit.

The estimated value of 6,945 kanal agricultural and 3,944 kanal commercial land in Karachi Division stood at Rs 641.894 million and Rs 33,808.619 million, respectively; 19,526 kanal agricultural and 1,387 kanal commercial in Lahore Division at Rs 2,503.007 million and Rs 5,293.173 million; 26,588 kanal agricultural and 2,987 kanal commercial in Multan Division at Rs 2,427.361 million and Rs 2,617.018 million; 18,904 kanal agricultural and 833 kanal commercial in Quetta Division at Rs 271.126 million and Rs 146.693 million; 9,637 kanal agricultural and 971 kanal commercial in Peshawar Division at Rs 709.006 million and Rs 1231.448 million; 16,116 kanal agricultural and 2,590 kanal commercial in Rawalpindi Division at Rs 1972.498 million and Rs 11,426.067 million; 30,201 kanal agricultural and 940 kanal commercial in Sukkur Division at Rs 2,332.154 million and Rs 634.258 million.

The official said that the unutilised land is in addition to the 5,373 acres that are in possession of others.

Some 3,344 acres are occupied by the private sector, 1,172 acres by various federal and provincial government departments and agencies besides 860 acres in use of the armed forces.

Some 250-kilometre long track has been under encroachment or occupied by land grabber.