Railway authorities in Rourkela began a major anti-encroachment drive on Monday to clear land for a new railway bridge project.
On the first day of the operation, officials demolished more than 40 houses in Shiv Shankar Nagar slum.
The drive aims to free up land for constructing a new bridge alongside the existing one built in the 1950s. The old structure no longer meets the region’s growing transportation needs. The new bridge will strengthen rail connectivity and improve operational efficiency across the Rourkela section.
Officials identified settlements in Shiv Shankar Nagar and Rahmat Nagar as major encroachments obstructing the proposed bridge alignment. After completing procedural formalities, authorities decided to remove unauthorised structures to facilitate the project.
Railway Protection Force (RPF), Government Railway Police (GRP), and local civil administration supervised the demolition. A large police contingent maintained order throughout the operation.
