Siliguri Mayor announces Rs 1 patta scheme for Railway land settlers

Siliguri: In a major push to secure the rights of long-time settlers on Railway land, Siliguri Mayor Gautam Deb has announced an initiative to grant permanent pattas (land documents) at a token price of just Rs 1 to those residing on such land for years. The move aims to address the long-standing grievances of thousands of families who have been living without proper documentation and access to essential public services.

The announcement came during the 116th edition of the public outreach programme, ‘Talk to Mayor,’ held on Saturday. A caller raised the issue of people residing on railway land without legal ownership, prompting the Mayor to respond with a strong and determined stance against the Railway authorities. “For years, these people have lived without basic rights or facilities — no trade licenses, no electricity, no access to bank loans. The Railway keeps asking them to buy the land, but it’s impossible for poor residents to pay such high prices,” said Mayor Deb.

As a part of the initiative, a city-wide special survey will be launched starting June 15 to identify households living on Railway land. The survey aims to gather at least one lakh signatures in support of the proposal. These signatures will be forwarded to the Central government through the state government, urging them to grant patta for just Rs 1 to residents occupying unused Railway land for an extended period. In the interim, the Siliguri Municipal Corporation plans to issue holding numbers to these households, enabling them to access essential municipal services like water, electricity and sanitation. “This is about dignity and basic human rights. If needed, I will travel to Kolkata to meet senior Railway officials. If that doesn’t yield results, I’m prepared to hit the streets alongside the people,” Deb added.