In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court has mandated that authorities must formulate a comprehensive rehabilitation plan for the residents of Banphoolpura in Haldwani, Nainital district, before executing eviction orders. This decision, aimed at facilitating the development of the Haldwani railway station, emphasizes the need for a humane approach to the relocation process.
The three-judge bench, consisting of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and Ujjal Bhuyan, addressed an application from the Union of India/Railways seeking a modification of the order that had stayed the eviction of nearly 50,000 individuals accused of encroaching on railway properties. The railways cited the need for land to reconstruct a retaining wall damaged by the Ghuala River during last year’s monsoon.
Justice Bhuyan criticized the railways for relying on a PIL rather than initiating statutory proceedings against the alleged encroachers, who have resided on the land for decades. The Court directed the Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand to meet with railway authorities and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs to develop a fair, just, and equitable rehabilitation scheme within four weeks. The case will be reviewed again on Sept. 11, 2024, reported the Hindustan Times.
The SC decision comes in response to a Dec. 2022 Uttarakhand High Court order, following a PIL filed by Ravi Shankar Joshi, which directed the eviction of residents from railway lands. [Read more on radiancenews.com]