Erode: S Muthusamy urges railways not to evict residents

ERODE: State housing and urban development minister S Muthusamy has urged the Southern Railway not to evict about 500 families living in railway land in the district.
Talking to reporters in Erode on Friday, he said that there are about 5,000 people belonging to 515 families living in a tract of railway land at Sastri Nagar in Erode for 45 years. Southern Railway has sent notice to the residents to vacate the land recently.
Muthusamy said that though the land belonged to Southern Railway, the land was in such a manner that it cannot be utilised by the railways properly. “The residents are ready to purchase the land from the railways. Since the people are living there for 45 years and have built permanent structures there, the railways should consider their plight and offer to sell the land for a reasonable price,” he said.
Muthusamy said he has requested the Erode district collector to figure a way out for the benefit of the residents. “Once collector gives his report, we will decide on pursuing a legal course of action,” he said.