COIMBATORE: After a struggle of four decades, 48 encroachments were cleared from a critical piece of railway land in the city on Friday. The Railway department finally evicted occupants of 48 houses, which were constructed close to the railway track near Coimbatore railway junction. The residents in ward no 72 near Kadalaikara Street, staged various protests whenever officials met them.
Finally, the Southern Railway, Salem division, on December 2 issued an eviction notice to the poor encroachers, said railway officials. A time span of 15 days was given to the residents to vacate. Along with police, railway officials came to the spot after 15 days. Meanwhile, an alternative place was given by the slum clearance board at the newly built Vellalore quarters for the evicted people. The encroached houses were then demolished on Friday.
