Guwahati: Slum organizations, citizens’ groups oppose eviction drive on railway land

Staff reporter

Guwahati: The All Guwahati Slum Coordination Association, along with the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), and several citizens’ groups, has voiced strong opposition to the ongoing eviction drive on railway land in the city, alleging that thousands of urban poor are being rendered homeless without any rehabilitation plan.

Families residing in Bhootnath, Santipur, Uzan Bazar, Bhaskar Nagar, Lala Basti, and Babu Basti have been served notices by the Northeast Frontier Railway to vacate within 15 days. Most of the affected are daily wage earners and informal workers who, the organizations argued, sustain the city’s economy but are denied the right to secure housing.

“Guwahati has 217 slum clusters, many of them on railway land, yet successive governments have failed to provide proper housing despite schemes like PMAY and the Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana,” said Kalyan Buragohain, Convenor of the All Guwahati Slum Coordination Committee, while addressing the media on Tuesday.

Buragohain pointed out that although the draft Guwahati Master Plan 2045 envisions affordable housing in North Guwahati, Mirza, Singimari, and Rajapani-Chanda, no concrete measures exist to safeguard the shelter and livelihood of those already living in the city.

“Serving eviction notices without rehabilitation is not only unjust but also a violation of the fundamental right to food, shelter, and livelihood. Ignoring Supreme Court rulings on the matter is extremely worrying,” he added.

In a joint appeal, the organizations demanded an immediate halt to the eviction drive until alternative housing is arranged. They also urged the Assam government to secure the rights of affected families and ensure their inclusion in existing housing schemes.

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