DEHRADUN: In a joint operation, the Railway Department and District Administration demolished an illegally constructed Mazar (shrine ) on railway land in Lutabad village, Ramnagar, Nainital district.
The demolition drive was carried out after the railway administration sought cooperation from the district administration to remove the encroachment.
According to officials, the Mazar was demolished on Friday after a team of officials, including Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Pramod Kumar, police administration, and Railway Protection Force (RPF), conducted the operation.
Senior Railway Engineer Akhilesh Kumar was also present during the demolition.
"The mazar was an encroachment on railway land, and we had issued notices earlier, asking the occupants to vacate the premises," said Akhilesh Kumar. "Despite the deadline, the encroachment was not removed, leading to the demolition drive. The structure was also causing obstruction to the movement of people."
SDM Pramod Kumar stated that the government has a clear policy to remove encroachments from public land. "In line with this policy, we have removed the mazar. We will continue to take action against such encroachments in the future," he added.
This demolition is part of a larger effort by the Uttarakhand government to remove illegal structures on public land. So far, 539 such structures have been demolished, with hundreds more awaiting removal.
Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami has been clear in his stance on this issue. "We will not allow illegal encroachments on public land, especially those used for commercial purposes under the guise of religious structures," he has said. "We will take strict action against such encroachments and ensure that public land is used for its intended purpose."