Eviction drive leaves railway colony residents homeless

Guwahati: Residents of Bamunimaidam railway colony in Guwahati were caught off guard as the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) conducted an eviction drive. The move forced people — mostly daily-wage labourers living on unauthorised govt land — who claim to have lived there for 50-60 years to leave their makeshift homes.

NFR officials conducted the eviction drive on Saturday.

"At around 1 pm, they came and broke our house. No prior notice has been given to us," a distressed resident told TOI. "They only said the houses need to be cleared, but for the past 50 years we have been living here. We have children with exams coming up. Where will we go? We only earn about Rs 10 to 12 thousand."

The evicted families expressed shock at being suddenly uprooted from homes they had occupied for generations. "From past 50 years we are living here, giving votes," lamented one resident. Another added, "If they don't let us stay in the area then they should have evicted it before 60 years back."

Residents claimed they had purchased the land from railway quarter owners years ago at low prices. They are now pleading with authorities for alternative housing solutions or at least more time to relocate. "The govt or the authority should give us some solutions before evicting," one resident urged.

The evicted families also alleged inconsistent application of the eviction orders, pointing out that nearby buildings and shops on railway land remain untouched. "We want to urge the authorities to give us alternative areas where we can stay. If they don't show us any alternative place, we have to stay here," a resident said.

When contacted, an NFR official stated they are still compiling data on the eviction drive, including the total number of houses to be cleared.