Slums beside Bandra station gone. Mumbai’s next big rail project starts here

Western Railway said over 35% of the demolition debris had been cleared by Sunday evening, while levelling, barricading and security deployment continued across the reclaimed stretch.

Former MP Kirit Somaiya said the transformation of Garib Nagar would become visible within six months as railway authorities continue fencing cleared portions to prevent fresh encroachments.

Kalyan has the largest encroached railway land area at nearly 2.4 lakh sq m, while Dombivli has close to 1 lakh sq m under encroachment, according to railway data.

Central Railway data shows the Kurla-Trombay belt has the highest number of encroachments, with 5,595 cases occupying more than 50,000 sq m of railway land.

Officials said several illegal structures in Garib Nagar had expanded into multi-storey buildings, with some rising above nearby foot overbridges. Around 100 eligible hutments were excluded from demolition surveys.

More than 500 illegal hutments across 5,200 sq m near Bandra station are being demolished for a major railway expansion project aimed at improving passenger movement and easing congestion.

Officials say reclaiming encroached railway land will remain central to Mumbai’s future railway expansion, station redevelopment and suburban infrastructure projects in the coming years.

Railway authorities say Mumbai’s encroachment problem extends far beyond Garib Nagar. Central Railway alone has reported over 16,000 encroachments across nearly 5 lakh sq m in the MMR.

The Bombay High Court allowed authorities to reclaim the land for an integrated railway project. Officials cited safety concerns as settlements had expanded close to tracks and railway infrastructure.

The reclaimed land lies beside Bandra station, a major transit point for commuters travelling to BKC. Railway officials say future upgrades are expected to improve station access and passenger flow.