Railway demolished 500 shanties of ghetto dwellers during severe cold;Arvind Kejriwal

The state government of New Delhi has drawn a front line against the central government for the anti-encroachment drive by the railway to remove the shanties of ghetto dwellers. Arvind Kejriwal, the chief minister, has protested the railway action and wanted to register a murder case in this connection. The government of Delhi suspended two sub-divisional magistrates and a senior officer for the failure in managing to arrange the food and lodging to those who were deserted after the removal of encroachment.

The sabotage operation was launched near Rani Bagh in Shakur Basti area of North-West Delhi in which 500 shanties were removed. According to the railway authority, “The anti-encroachment-drive was carried after, the issuing notice specified 14th March 2015, the time limit.”

A 6 months old baby died in a shanty. The railway authority said, “The death incident had taken place before the drive started." Police told in its preliminary inquiry as the family with baby were trying to come out from the shanty; a bundle of cloth fell on baby, which caused this casualty.

After the row, Arun Arora, Delhi Railway Manager, told in a press conference that   the removal of encroachment, made a problem for the running trains, has no relation with the death of baby.

The ghetto dwellers had occupied inside 15 meters of security zone. He added that the national green tribunal had instructed the railway to ascertain the sources of, and to free the rail tracks from, the solid garbage.

Mr Arora told that the dwellers were served first notice to vacate the place till 15th March 2015.

The encroachment removal work could not have been done without assistance of police force. He told, “They were served again two more notices: the first one had the last date to vacate the place 30 September 2015; the last one had 12 December 2015."

A railway official said, “The long distance and ease of local trains, there is need of extra platform, repairing yard, washing line, maintenance availability and place for storage and the building of an office for engineering department.”

Kejriwal visited the spot late night and criticized the railway for the sabotage during the extreme cold (winter gale). He even ordered to provide the food and blankets immediately to the homeless people after the operation.

Kejriwal tweeted, “Railway has demolished 500 shanties during severe cold. One baby died. He said that the divisional commissioner had placed order to the local Sub-divisional magistrate and one more officer to manage the food and the shelter to the homeless people. We found reaching here such arrangement had not been done. The district magistrate is under our jurisdiction so we suspend the district magistrate.”