The Western Railway (WR) on Tuesday (May 19, 2026) launched a five-day anti-encroachment drive near Bandra East railway station, following the Bombay High Court’s order allowing the railway authorities to remove the illegal structures.

Heavy security

The drive is set to clear at least 400 unauthorised structures across 5,200 square metres of land. The demolitions were carried out under heavy security. Over 1,000 personnel from Railway Protection Force, the Government Railway Police, the State police were deployed amid opposition from the residents.

“The drive is to be seen from a wider context as it is deeply related to safety and the augmentation plan of railways,” said a WR spokesperson, adding that it was not a sudden plan but has been in process since 2017. According to WR, the encroached land will be used for the expansion of the fifth and sixth railway lines to run between Santacruz and Mumbai Central and aims to reduce congestion on Mumbai’s western railway network.

The authorities tried to execute an anti-encroachment drive in 2017, however, the matter reached the Bombay High Court after opposition by the residents. After the HC ordered the eviction and razing of illegal structures on April 29, 2026 railway authorities initiated the drive which will last till May 23.

Western Railway spokesperson, highlighting that the Bombay HC order permitting the eviction of illegal encroachments was upheld by the Supreme Court, said, “The order has also instructed to protect identified 100 legal structures and that we will do.” The survey to identify the authorised structure was done in 2021 August. 

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya called the drive a victory and a lesson for the opposition.