HC allows Rlys to use own force for eviction drive at New Jalpaiguri stn

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday allowed the Railways to carry out eviction of encroachers at New Jalpaiguri and Siliguri stations, and directed the West Bengal government to cooperate with the national transporter in the process.

The HC directed the state government to depute a magistrate to oversee the drive to evict around 80 illegal shops encroaching on railway land at the two stations.

Justice Rajasekhar Mantha also granted authority to the Railway to use its own force for the eviction drive. New Jalpaiguri is an important station connecting the Northeastern states with the rest of the country and is being upgraded to a 'Class A' station, but the encroachments have hindered the development of infrastructure there, Additional Solicitor General Kaushik Chanda told the court.

The HC directed the state government to cooperate and provide assistance to oversee the eviction of around 60 unauthorised vendors, including restaurants, outside the station building of the New Jalpaiguri station complex and 20 shops at Siliguri railway station. Chanda and counsel Saptarshi Roy submitted that the West Bengal government has written that its concurrence is required for removal of the encroachers and sought direction to the state for providing assistance in carrying out the

eviction order.