HYDERABAD: The adm­i­n­is­tration of Pakistan Rail­ways (PR) launched an ope­r­a­tion on Monday against encroachers along up-and-down country track near Hyderabad Railway Station where a tragedy occurred on June 20, causing death of three drivers of the PR.

During the operation launched in the morning, houses, shops and godowns located in close proximity of down-country railway track near Khaskheli Mohallah were demolished. The encr­o­a­chers had sought some time from the PR autho­rities, but it was denied. The action would continue.

The operation was laun­ched under supervision of PR officer Badarul Arf­een and Assistant Com­m­is­sio­ner Latifabad Arshad Ibra­him Siddiqui.

Heavy machinery was used to demolish ground-plus-two storey houses and structures. Cattle pens were also established near the tracks.

People from the locality gathered there, but did not offer any resistance and the entire exercise went smoothly.

No unpleasant incident was reported. A heavy cont­in­gent of police remained present there. A few godo­wns’ owners wanted time to shift their goods, but it was denied. They arranged vehi­cles and shifted the goods. They also claimed that they had set up their godowns after seeking permi­s­sion from the municipal autho­rities under some documen­tation. According to PR offi­cer Badarul Arfeen, in the first phase encroach­ments near Khaskheli Moh­al­lah were being demolished and in the second phase, unautho­rised structures on both sides of track, within 92ft to 186ft space, would be remo­ved up to Sehrish Nagar strip. He said that notices had been issued to the encroachers four months ago.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2019