Railways gives 2 weeks to families to vacate from its land

The Southern Railway today issued a 2-week ultimatum to about 45 families, encroaching upon its lands here, to vacate it, police said.
The officials from Salem Railway Division, accompanied by local police and Railway protection force had gone to the spot this morning and asked the residents to vacate the place encroached by them for the last 30 years.
Even as they were negotiating, AIADMK MLA, Amman Arjun arrived at the scene and requested the officials to give more time to find an alternate place to shift.
He also urged the officials to allow the residents to celebrate the Pongal festival, which is just two days away, police said.

Following an assurance from the MLA that he would relocate the residents within stipulated time, officials time till January 26 to vacate from the area.
The railways had already issued notice to the residents to vacate, but the issue was dragged as the squatters had made representations to the district administration to provide an alternate site for them, before Railways took action.