Pakistan Railways is intensifying efforts to reclaim approximately 13,972 acres of land, valued at billions of rupees, which has been illegally occupied by private individuals and various government departments nationwide.
An official from the Ministry disclosed to APP that out of the total occupied land, around 5,809 acres are located in Punjab, 1,181 acres in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 5,948 acres in Sindh, and 1,034 acres in Balochistan.
The unlawfully occupied land includes commercial, residential, and agricultural properties, with approximately 769 acres categorized as commercial, 3,309 acres as residential, and 5,512 acres as agricultural. Additionally, 4,382 acres are under encroachment by different individuals or departments.
To address this issue, Pakistan Railways has decided to expedite its ongoing anti-encroachment operations across the country to reclaim its land from encroachers, including individuals, groups, and business entities utilizing it for various purposes for several years.
All Divisional Superintendents of Pakistan Railways have been directed to take necessary measures to retrieve railway land from encroachers. Notices have been issued to encroachers under the Possession Ordinance 1965, providing them with a 14-day ultimatum to vacate the railway land or structures.
Furthermore, Pakistan Railway Police, District Administration, and law enforcement agencies are being enlisted to assist in anti-encroachment operations. Responsibilities have been assigned to railway officers and staff within railway station premises and colonies, as well as inspectors of works and Railway Police to prevent new encroachments.
Anti-encroachment schedules are being prepared on a three-month basis and circulated to all relevant stakeholders, with the operation set to commence with the support of Railway Police and district administrations.
Pakistan Railways owns a total of 167,690 acres of land nationwide, with the majority situated in Punjab, followed by Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
