New Delhi, The menace of land grabbing in the national capital shows no signs of slowing down. In a shocking development, prime railway land near Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station, close to the Ashram Flyover, has been completely taken over by the land mafia. Despite the illegal constructions and thriving commercial activities in the area, railway officials remain clueless, raising serious questions about administrative negligence and possible collusion.
The encroached zone lies amid densely populated localities such as Bhogal, Jangpura, and Taimoor Nagar—areas that have now become hubs for unauthorized warehouses, workshops, and small industries.
What makes the situation even more appalling is the contradictory approach of the authorities. While the railway department closely monitors every small movement in the nearby Madrasi Camp in Jangpura—home to poor daily-wage workers from South India—it has turned a blind eye to this large-scale occupation of valuable government land.
5–7 Acres of Railway Land Captured
Preliminary findings suggest that 5 to 7 acres of railway land near the Ashram Flyover have been illegally occupied over the past two to three years. The land, worth several crores, now hosts warehouses reportedly serving e-commerce companies like Blinkit, alongside other small-scale businesses.
Local residents confirm that the encroachments have grown rapidly. One resident, requesting anonymity, said:
“Earlier, this was open railway land. Now it’s full of warehouses. Trucks move in and out day and night. Electricity and water are being stolen. No railway official ever visits.”
Despite Delhi’s railway land totaling around 158 hectares, large portions are under illegal occupation—Nizamuddin area being one of the worst affected.
Double Standards: Poor Targeted, Mafia Protected
While the poor of Madrasi Camp—families who have lived there for decades and survive through menial jobs—face constant eviction threats, the land mafia continues unchecked. In 2020, following a Supreme Court order, the railways launched a demolition drive to remove nearly 48,000 slums along Delhi’s tracks, including parts of Madrasi Camp.
However, no such action has ever been taken near Ashram Flyover. Locals allege that the poor are easy targets for eviction, while builders, police, and politicians protect large-scale illegal operations.
The encroachment reportedly extends beyond railway land, spilling over to MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) property and even Water Board and Electricity Department assets.
Illegal blocking of storm drains on MCD land has worsened local flooding risks. A recent demolition drive near the Taimoor Nagar drain was conducted only after complaints from affluent residents, while encroachments affecting the poor remain untouched.
A former municipal councilor alleged:
“These land deals are protected by police and politicians. No one can occupy such large tracts without their involvement.”
Authorities Unresponsive
Repeated attempts to contact railway officials and the Northern Railway PRO yielded no response. RTI data confirms that the Northern Railway has conducted several encroachment removal drives in Delhi in recent years, but the Ashram Flyover area is notably missing from their official reports.
Experts suggest that digital mapping, fencing, and boundary walls could prevent such misuse, but acknowledge that lack of administrative will and accountability continues to enable the land mafia.
A Symbol of Delhi’s Inequality
This scandal underscores a grim reality of Delhi’s deepening urban divide—where poor laborers are branded as encroachers while influential groups illegally seize government land in the name of development.
Unless the government orders an immediate and transparent probe, the Ashram Flyover land scam risks becoming another dark chapter in Delhi’s urban governance, eroding both public trust and the capital’s lawful landscape.
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