Bulldozer action at Park Circus station, encroachments razed in presence of large police force

In a swift and decisive late-night operation, railway authorities deployed bulldozers at the busy Park Circus railway station on the Sealdah South section to demolish long-standing illegal shops and commercial encroachments. The midnight eviction drive was executed under tight security parameters following a mandatory notice issued to the unauthorized hawkers earlier this month. To prevent any law-and-order flare-ups, a massive contingent comprising the Railway Protection Force (RPF), Rapid Action Force (RAF), and local state police cordoned off the entire station premises before the demolition commenced.

The operation began around 10:30 PM when security forces completely surrounded the station arena. Railway officials initially used loudspeakers to make public announcements, urging the shop owners to voluntarily dismantle their structures and vacate the government-owned land. Despite a brief grace window granted by the enforcement teams, the local vendors refused to move their merchandise. Consequently, heavy earthmovers were brought in to systematically pull down dozens of illegal kiosks, temporary shanties, and extended stalls that had choked the commuter entry points for years.

Park Circus station has historically been one of the most congested transit points in the city, with unchecked illegal vending causing significant navigation hurdles for daily commuters. Previous attempts by the railways to clear this specific stretch had repeatedly stalled. However, following the recent change of government in the state, the railway administration has dramatically accelerated its land-reclamation drive. Similar aggressive anti-encroachment operations have already been executed at key transport hubs, including Howrah, Sealdah, Dum Dum, Habra, and Jadavpur stations.