Uttarakhand – The Supreme Court has postponed the hearing on the Banbhoolpura railway land encroachment case in Haldwani, pushing the matter to 9 December. The delay has once again prolonged uncertainty for thousands of residents as well as stalled railway development work, raising questions about administrative efficiency and the prolonged legal battle.
The matter was listed before Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice J. Bagchi, where petitions challenging the Nainital High Court’s order to remove encroachments were to be heard. However, due to ongoing hearings related to petitions filed against SIR actions of the Election Commission, the case could not be taken up.
Assistant Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the state government, informed the court that a joint survey report regarding the encroachment has already been submitted. She stressed that the disputed land is crucial for the railway expansion project and that encroachments have halted progress.
The High Court had earlier ordered the removal of encroachments from 31.87 hectares of railway land in response to a PIL filed by social worker Ravishankar Joshi. The petitioners challenging the order, including Abdul Mateen Siddiqui, argue that the land falls within municipal boundaries and the eviction notices issued by the Railways were unlawful. The Railways maintain that the eviction process was initiated legally under the Public Premises (Eviction) Act.
The ongoing postponements have sparked criticism over repeated delays in a matter impacting development and public interest. With the next hearing set for 9 December, affected residents, administration and railway authorities continue to wait without clarity.
