New data obtained through a Right to Information (RTI) request has shed light on the escalating issue of land encroachment plaguing Indian Railways. As of March 2025, more than 1,068 hectares of railway land—an area equivalent to nearly 42 Narendra Modi Stadiums—remains under illegal occupation, marking a significant 32% increase over the last five years.
Encroachments Continue to Rise
The data, provided by the Railway Board's Land and Amenities Directorate, indicates a steady upward trend in unauthorized occupation. In the fiscal year 2020-21, approximately 810.31 hectares were encroached. Despite a brief dip to 782.81 hectares in 2021-22, the area under encroachment rapidly climbed, reaching 1,078.55 hectares by 2023-24. While there was a slight reduction to 1,068.54 hectares in 2024-25, the overall five-year period shows a substantial surge.
Reclamation Efforts Lag Behind
Despite the growing problem, efforts to reclaim the illegally occupied land have been notably slow. Over the same five-year period, only 98.02 hectares of encroached railway land were successfully cleared. This figure highlights a significant disparity between the rate of new encroachments and the pace of land recovery.
According to a parliamentary reply from March 27, 2026, reclaimed land is primarily utilized for critical railway infrastructure projects. These include essential expansions such as multi-tracking, the development of new railway workshops, and the construction of passenger and cargo terminals. Any land not immediately required for operational purposes is transferred to the Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) for potential commercial development.
Data Gaps in Record Keeping
The RTI response also revealed limitations in the Railway Board's record-keeping practices. While the request sought a 25-year history of encroachments, the Board stated that it only maintains data for the last five years. Furthermore, location-specific data, such as which states have the highest concentration of encroached land, is not centrally maintained, requiring inquiries to be directed to individual zonal railway Public Information Officers (PIOs).
Scale of the Problem
To put the scale of the encroachment into perspective, the 1,068 hectares currently under illegal occupation is comparable to approximately 1,496 FIFA-standard football pitches, considering only the playing surface. This substantial area underscores the significant challenge faced by Indian Railways in managing its vast land holdings and ensuring their availability for vital infrastructure development.