The Hindu Business Line : Rlys plans to tackle land encroachment issues

The Railways is getting serious about tackling land encroachment problem as the Ministry plans to expand its existing network and commercially exploit its surplus land. Almost 2,033 hectares of railway land are encroached.

Apart from increasing personnel engaged to manage its land, it is also considering forming a task force along with the Ministry of Urban Development to tackle the encroachment problem.

The Railways is already augmenting its land management cells set up at zonal levels by asking the zones to increase the staff strength and train the staff in land management.

These land management cells are mandated to deal with issues such as leasing, commercial development of railway land and airspace, afforestation, freeing encroached land, verifying land records, amongst others.

With the setting up of Rail Land Development Authority, however, commercialisation of surplus land available would be transferred to the authority. To start with, 51 railway sites are likely to be handed over for development to the body.

Following the handover, it can invite parties to develop the site for the best possible purpose — hotels, warehouses, residential complexes or office complexes. The land would be leased for different purposes and period depending on the size of land and the nature of project for which it would be leased.

From a total land ownership of 4.31 lakh hectares, the Railways has 44,894 hectares of vacant land - mostly along both sides of railway tracks - which can be used for further doubling of tracks, setting up of sidings, amongst others.

More Stories on : Railways | Real Estate & Construction

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Kingfisher's new daily link to Tiruchi

Cochin Shipyard to open small ship repair division

Port union's plea to Supplyco

`Professionalism vital to manage logistics-related issues'

Rlys plans to tackle land encroachment issues