Habra Railway Station anti-encroachment drive sparks tension in North 24 Parganas
Synopsis
A pre-dawn anti-encroachment drive at Habra railway station turned tense when hawkers, traders, and Left activists pushed back against demolitions that claimed both illegal stalls and — according to local sources — a CPI(M) party office. The operation is part of a state-wide railway crackdown, but the absence of any rehabilitation package for displaced traders is already fuelling fresh protests.
Key Takeaways
Railway authorities launched a pre-dawn anti-encroachment drive at Habra railway station , North 24 Parganas , on Tuesday .
Shop owners had been served notices earlier this month with a vacate deadline of 15 June ; non-compliance triggered the demolition.
GRP , RPF , and state police were deployed from 1 am ; central security forces were also present.
Local sources claimed a Communist Party of India (Marxist) office on encroached land was among the structures razed.
No major untoward incident was reported, though arguments broke out between protesters and police.
The drive is part of a broader railway crackdown previously conducted at Howrah , Sealdah , Jadavpur , and Dum Dum stations.
Tension gripped Habra railway station in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Tuesday after protests broke out during a large-scale anti-encroachment drive conducted by railway authorities in the early hours of the morning. The operation targeted alleged illegal shops and permanent structures occupying railway land and station premises, with central security forces deployed from as early as 1 am to prevent unrest.
Background to the Drive
According to police, owners of shops and structures built on railway property had been served eviction notices earlier this month, with a deadline of 15 June to vacate the land voluntarily. As a significant number of occupants failed to comply by the stipulated date, railway authorities initiated demolition proceedings to clear the encroachments.
Personnel from the Government Railway Police (GRP), Railway Protection Force (RPF), and state police were all deployed on the premises to maintain law and order. Loudspeaker announcements were made to inform residents and shopkeepers about the ongoing action before demolition began.
What Was Demolished
The drive targeted both temporary stalls and several allegedly permanent structures erected on railway land. Local sources claimed that an office of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) situated on the encroached land was among the structures removed during the operation. Left activists subsequently staged a protest at the station premises.
An argument reportedly broke out between protesters and police when demonstrators were asked to vacate the area. However, no major untoward incident was reported, according to police.
Traders and Hawkers Push Back
As demolition work got underway, several hawkers and traders gathered at the site to protest against the eviction. Some shopkeepers questioned the legality of the drive and alleged that their livelihoods had been disrupted without any rehabilitation measures being offered. Hawkers' organisations also staged demonstrations at several locations, demanding protection for their businesses and income sources.
Railway officials, however, maintained that adequate notice had been issued and that occupants had been given sufficient time to remove their establishments voluntarily before authorities moved in.
Why Habra Station Was Targeted
Habra is among the busiest railway stations in North 24 Parganas, serving thousands of commuters daily. Over the years, encroachments and unauthorised shops had proliferated around the station premises, causing significant congestion and inconvenience for passengers — particularly during peak hours. Many regular commuters had long demanded that the area be cleared.
Part of a Wider Railway Crackdown
The Habra operation is part of a broader railway initiative to reclaim encroached land at station premises across West Bengal. Similar anti-encroachment drives have previously been conducted at Howrah, Sealdah, Jadavpur, and Dum Dum stations. Whether the authorities will introduce any rehabilitation package for displaced traders remains to be seen, and is likely to be a flashpoint in the days ahead.
Point of View
Often acquiring political patronage, and then cleared in a single overnight sweep that leaves traders with nowhere to go. The reported demolition of a CPI(M) party office adds a political dimension that will complicate the narrative in poll-sensitive West Bengal. More critically, the absence of any stated rehabilitation framework for displaced hawkers risks turning a legitimate land-reclamation exercise into a prolonged protest movement — as has happened after similar drives at Sealdah and Howrah. Railway authorities would do well to pair enforcement with resettlement policy, or risk repeating this cycle.
NationPress
9 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What triggered the anti-encroachment drive at Habra railway station?
Railway authorities launched the drive after shop owners and occupants of structures on railway land failed to vacate by the deadline of 15 June, despite notices served earlier this month. The operation began in the early hours of Tuesday to clear both temporary stalls and alleged permanent encroachments.
Was a CPI(M) office really demolished during the Habra drive?
According to local sources, an office of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) situated on encroached railway land was among the structures removed during the operation. Left activists subsequently staged a protest at the station premises in response.
Were any arrests made or injuries reported during the protests?
No major untoward incident was reported by police. An argument reportedly broke out between protesters and police when demonstrators were asked to vacate the area, but the situation did not escalate into violence.
Which security forces were deployed at Habra station during the drive?
Central security forces were deployed at the station from around 1 am on Tuesday. Personnel from the Government Railway Police (GRP), Railway Protection Force (RPF), and state police were also present to maintain law and order throughout the operation.
Is this drive limited to Habra, or is it part of a larger initiative?
The Habra operation is part of a broader railway initiative to reclaim encroached land at stations across West Bengal. Similar anti-encroachment drives have previously been conducted at Howrah, Sealdah, Jadavpur, and Dum Dum stations.
