“Thousands can’t be uprooted overnight,” SC stays eviction order in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani

New Delhi [India], January 5 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the Uttarakhand High Court’s decision directing authorities to remove encroachments from railway land in Uttarakhand’s Haldwani.

The apex court issued a notice to the Uttarakhand government and India Railways on the pleas challenging the Uttarakhand High Court’s decision ordering the State authorities to remove encroachments from railway land in Haldwani’s Banbhoolpura area. Supreme Court said that 50,000 people can’t be uprooted overnight.

The Apex Court has barred any new construction or development on the land.
The case has now been listed for its next hearing on February 7.

Earlier on January 4, Advocate Prashant Bhushan mentioned the plea before the top court saying, more than 5,000 houses in Haldwani are being demolished and it is similar to the matter scheduled to be heard on Thursday.

The Uttarakhand High Court had on December 20 ordered the removal of encroachments from railway land in the Banbhoolpura area of Haldwani after giving notice to the residents one week in advance.

Led by Congress MLA from Haldwani, Sumit Hridayesh, residents of the area approached the Supreme Court on Monday challenging the High Court’s order.
A total of 4,365 encroachments will be removed from the area. Those facing eviction have been living on the land for many decades.

Residents have been protesting against the removal of encroachments from railway land in compliance with a High Court order.