An anti-encroachment demolition drive near Bandra East railway station in Mumbai pushed past the 85 per cent completion mark on Thursday, 22 May 2025, as authorities pressed ahead with heavy security cover a day after stone-pelting and a police lathi charge disrupted operations. The drive targets illegal structures on railway land in the Garib Nagar locality, with the reclaimed land estimated to hold a commercial value of nearly ₹600 crore.

Scale of the Operation

Of nearly 500 illegal structures identified for demolition, roughly 60 per cent had already been cleared by Wednesday. By Thursday, that figure had climbed to 85 per cent, according to officials overseeing the drive. Around 1,200 security personnel — drawn from the Mumbai Police, the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Home Guards, and other departments — have been deployed at the site to maintain order and ensure uninterrupted progress.

What Officials Said

CPRO Vineet Abhishek said the operation was being conducted with care for those affected. 'The demolition work has been going on continuously... By yesterday evening, we had completed about 60 per cent of the demolition work, and as of today, nearly 85 per cent of the demolition has been completed. During the entire operation, we are ensuring that, since the matter is very sensitive, the humanitarian aspect is maintained, and no one gets injured. Heavy machinery is being used, and we are taking full care. If anyone faces any difficulty, we are also trying to help them,' he said.

Railway authorities also confirmed that no additional religious structures remain at the site scheduled for demolition as part of this operation.

Wednesday's Violence and FIR

Tensions had escalated on Wednesday when the demolition of a religious structure drew a crowd of reportedly 100 to 150 people, who gathered in protest. The situation deteriorated into stone-pelting, prompting a police lathi charge to disperse the crowd. Following the unrest, the Mumbai Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) at Nirmal Nagar Police Station against 10 identified individuals and several others under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Why This Drive Matters

The Bandra East operation is part of a broader push by railway authorities to reclaim encroached public land across Mumbai. The land in question carries an estimated commercial value of ₹600 crore, underlining the scale of what had been lost to unauthorised occupation. Notably, anti-encroachment drives on railway land in Mumbai have historically triggered community resistance, particularly when religious or residential structures are involved — making the deployment of over a thousand security personnel a measure of the sensitivity authorities have assigned to this operation.

Current Situation

As of Thursday, the demolition drive was continuing at pace, with security personnel stationed across the Garib Nagar locality as a precautionary measure. Officials indicated the remaining work is progressing rapidly, suggesting the operation could be substantially concluded in the near term. The situation remains under close watch given the unrest of the previous day.