GUWAHATI: An illegal settlement sprawling across railway-owned land along Rail Line Road near the Gandhibasti Railway Crossing has come under scrutiny, with locals raising serious concerns over an active drug trade and the hazardous burning of cables in the area, a practice that regularly releases toxic fumes into the surrounding neighbourhood.
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The settlement, which includes not just makeshift shelters but also semi-permanent brick-wall structures, sits on land belonging to the Railway department. Residents of the encampment are currently engaged in a High Court case with the Railway authorities over the land, a local resident told GPlus.
“Some people have constructed houses and put those on rent, they themselves live in apartments and say the matter is with the High Court” said one local.
Locals allege that drug peddling has become rampant within the settlement, with young boys frequently spotted consuming drugs along the railway line. The open nature of the trade has alarmed residents of nearby apartments, who say the situation has worsened over time and poses a serious threat to the youth of the surrounding community.
Adding to the public health concern, residents say stolen electrical and other cables are routinely burned within the settlement to extract the metal wire inside, which is then sold for scrap. The burning of these cables releases highly toxic fumes, exposing both the settlement's inhabitants and neighbouring apartment residents to hazardous air pollution. According to locals, this is not an isolated incident but a regular, ongoing activity.
The Officer in Charge of Chanmari Police Station, while speaking to GPlus, acknowledged the situation and said that police have not been inactive in the area.
"We occasionally conduct operations in the area. In this year itself we have arrested two drug peddlers from the area with two operations. Just yesterday we caught a thief. Even today a team will visit the location," the officer said.
He further assured that the police would conduct patrolling and operations on alternate days going forward, and noted that a larger deployment of force would be necessary to effectively address the ground situation.
Residents, however, remain concerned about whether periodic operations are sufficient to tackle what they describe as deeply entrenched illegal activity. With the land ownership dispute still pending before the High Court and the settlement continuing to grow, the situation at Gandhibasti Railway Crossing remains a flashpoint, one that authorities, the judiciary, and the Railway department will need to address in a coordinated manner.