Pakistan Railways has retrieved 2,552 acres of encroached land across the country during the last five financial years as part of an extensive anti-encroachment campaign aimed at protecting valuable state assets.
Railways retrieve 2,552 acres of encroached land in five years
ISLAMABAD, Jul 28 (APP):Pakistan Railways has retrieved 2,552 acres of encroached land across the country during the last five financial years as part of an extensive anti-encroachment campaign aimed at protecting valuable state assets.
“Pakistan Railways owns 168,858 acres of land nationwide, of which 12,468 acres, or 7.38 per cent, are currently under encroachment,” an official in the Ministry of Railways told APP.
He said the department has adopted a comprehensive strategy over the past three years to reclaim encroached land. The measures include a nationwide anti-encroachment campaign in coordination with provincial governments, with Inspectors General of Police and Chief Secretaries requested to provide law enforcement support during operations.
The official said that quarterly anti-encroachment plans have been introduced, while legal notices under the Possession Ordinance, 1965 were issued to encroachers, allowing a 14-day period to vacate illegally occupied land.
He said that all Pakistan Railways land records have been digitised, geo-referenced and integrated with provincial databases through the Pakistan Railways Land Management and Information System (PRLMIS), which is also accessible through a mobile application for real-time monitoring and efficient decision-making.
“The unauthorised occupation of railway land by government departments is being regularised through lease agreements under the Railway Land Policy, while commercial encroachments are being reviewed under the Remedial Policy through lease arrangements involving upfront premiums and payment of arrears,” he added.
He said Pakistan Railways takes legal action against all illegal occupations in accordance with the law and continues regular anti-encroachment operations to prevent fresh encroachments.
Out of the total 2,552 acres retrieved during the last five years, he said that 1,078 acres were recovered in Punjab, 837 acres in Sindh, 419 acres in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 218 acres in Balochistan.
The official said the reclaimed land included 713 acres of commercial, 268 acres of residential, 1,564 acres of agricultural and seven acres under other categories.
