Residents seek permission to stay in unused Rly Land

Members of over 700 families living in nearly 9.5 acre railway land at Sasthri Nagar, (55th ward) Erode, since 1978, appealed to the railways to allow them to stay in the unused site of railways following railways sent eviction notices to them recently.In this connection, railway  officials led by railway deputy regional manager Sivalingam heard their views at the railway mandapam at Erode in the presence of DMK city unit secretary M Subramaniam. 

The residents including the ward councillor M Subalakshmi former councillor Jayakumar said the present housing minister S Muthusamy who was MLA at that time allowed many families affected by flood to settle in the site and in 1996, Subramaniam, the then Kasipalayam town panchayat president, created all basic amenities in the area and property tax and water tax were also collected from all houses. The residents were provided power supply, aadhar, ration card etc. 

 Many of the families constructed pucca houses as both side of the area have patta lands. So, the railway could not use the land for its project. Now,  railways were selling its assets including train services. As the families were  living in the area for over 5 decades,  we appealed to the railways to offer the land to us.  If need be we are ready to pay the cost also. 

We also pleaded to the state government's help in this issue by holding talks with railways or grant houses in the area under the government scheme. If  our demands are not met, we will stage all kind of stirs in democratic manner and also approach HC and SC to defend our position, they said. 

The officers assured to take up the issue to higher ups. Meanwhile, Minister Muthusamy said the Collector was holding talks with the railways on the issue.  ''On behalf of state government also,   railways would be asked to withhold any eviction move. Railways already held talks with the state officials on the issue and conducted public hearing with residents on Saturday'', he added.