The Banbhoolpura area of Uttarakhand‘s Haldwani will be transformed into a high-security zone – with large numbers of police deployed and additional forces brought in from elsewhere, and the neighborhood divided into ‘sectors’, ‘zones’, and ‘super zones’ – ahead of the Supreme Court hearing Wednesday over the railway land dispute.
Why it matters
More than 50,000 people live in the disputed area, which also has three government schools, 11 private schools, 10 mosques, 12 madrassas, a government public health centre and a temple.
Senior Superintendent of Police Manjunath TC told The Indian Express the state police headquarters and Kumaon Range had provided those additional forces. “General alert has been sounded and specialised police deployment has been made,” he said.
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Heavy police force and multiple companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) have been deployed in Banbhoolpura.
The police are also deploying tear-gas squads, anti-riot squads and armed units, along with drone surveillance teams, Manjunath said. Personnel from the Fire Department, traffic police, and other specialised teams will also be deployed.
The Local Intelligence Unit (LIU) will also be deployed, along with wireless teams to maintain communication between police units.
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The exact number of personnel being deployed would be provided by the police later, he said.
What is the case all about
The case concerns the land around Haldwani Railway Station, covering the Gafoor Basti, Dholak Basti, and Indira Nagar areas.
The Railways claims ownership of the disputed land and says structures have been built there without authorisation. A joint survey conducted by the Railways and the district administration in 2016-17 identified 4,365 structures as encroachments.
HALDWANI — RAILWAY LAND DISPUTE
What the Haldwani land case is all about
Ahead of Wednesday's Supreme Court hearing, here's the dispute, the competing claims, the scale of the settlement, and how the case reached this point.
BACKGROUND
Railway land at the heart of Haldwani
The case concerns land around Haldwani railway station, covering Gafoor Basti, Dholak Basti and Indira Nagar. The Railways claims ownership and says structures were built there without authorisation. The dispute's roots trace back to Uttarakhand High Court proceedings on illegal sand mining in the Gaula river, which flows alongside the station — the encroachment issue was folded into that litigation later.
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Why the Railways wants the land
Additional lines and platforms, a washing pit, a sick line shed for coach repairs, and stabling lines for parking coaches when not in service.
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The river factor
The Railways has also raised concerns about the vulnerability of its infrastructure close to the Gaula river.
COMPETING CLAIMS
Two sides, two sets of documents
The Railways rests its ownership claim on old notifications and records. Residents counter with an even older document and decades of lived occupation.
RAILWAYS' CLAIM
1959 notification, 1971 revenue records, and a 2016-17 joint survey identifying 4,365 structures as encroachments
RESIDENTS' CLAIM
A 1907 record cited to argue the land was "nazul" land, plus documents on occupation and property transactions across generations
THE RULING SO FAR
HC rejected the 1907 interpretation
The Uttarakhand High Court did not accept residents' reading of the 1907 record, holding that it did not establish the legal status they claimed.
WHY IT'S SENSITIVE
A dense, lived-in settlement
This isn't vacant land — it's home to tens of thousands of people, with schools, places of worship and public services built into the disputed area.
50,000+
Residents in the disputed area
4,365
Structures flagged as encroachments (2016-17 survey)
14
Schools — 3 government, 11 private
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Religious and community sites
10 mosques and 12 madrassas, alongside a temple, sit within the disputed area.
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Public health infrastructure
A government public health centre also serves the settlement.
DECEMBER 2022
Uttarakhand HC directs residents to vacate within a week, authorising force if necessary — triggering protests in Haldwani.
JANUARY 2023
Supreme Court stays the eviction order, citing concerns over uprooting around 50,000 people.
JULY 2024
SC directs authorities to identify land actually required, determine affected families, and work out a rehabilitation plan.
FEBRUARY 2026
SC's substantive order: occupants cannot claim a legal right to remain indefinitely; authorities must assess families for rehabilitation, but residents cannot insist on being resettled at the same site.
WEDNESDAY (UPCOMING)
Next SC hearing. Haldwani's Banbhoolpura area placed under heavy security ahead of the proceedings.
TAGS
HaldwaniRailway land disputeSupreme CourtUttarakhandRehabilitation
Sources: Supreme Court and Uttarakhand High Court proceedings · Railways' 2016-17 joint survey · The Indian Express
The scale of the settlement has made the case particularly sensitive. More than 50,000 people live in the disputed area, according to figures placed before the Supreme Court. The area is also not limited to residential structures. It has three government schools, 11 accredited private schools, 10 mosques, 12 madrassas, a state government-run public health centre, and a temple.
The dispute has its roots in Uttarakhand High Court hearings relating to illegal sand mining in the Gaula river, which flows alongside Haldwani railway station. The issue of alleged encroachment on railway land subsequently became part of the litigation.
In December 2022, the High Court directed residents to vacate the disputed land within a week and authorised the use of force, if necessary, to remove unauthorised occupants. The order triggered protests in Haldwani and led to widespread concern among residents who faced the possibility of losing their homes. In January 2023, the Supreme Court stayed the eviction order.
Vehicles set on fire by a mob during the violence
The court raised concerns over the prospect of around 50,000 people being uprooted and said a workable arrangement would have to take into account both the Railways’ requirements and the rehabilitation of affected residents.
The Railways has relied on a 1959 notification, revenue records from 1971 and the findings of the 2016-17 joint survey to support its claim. Residents of Gafoor Basti, Dholak Basti and Indira Nagar, meanwhile, maintain families have lived in the area for decades, in some cases for generations. They have relied on documents relating to occupation and property transactions to back their claim.
Point of contention
A key point of contention has been a 1907 government record, which residents have cited to argue that the land was nazul land — government land historically made available for private use or settlement under specified conditions. The Uttarakhand High Court did not accept the residents’ interpretation of the document and held that it did not establish the legal status claimed by them.
The Railways has said the land is required for the expansion and realignment of infrastructure around Haldwani railway station.
Its requirements include additional railway lines and platforms, a washing pit for cleaning and servicing coaches, a sick line shed for coaches requiring repairs, and stabling lines where railway coaches can be parked when they are not in service.
The Railways has also raised concerns about the vulnerability of railway infrastructure close to the Gaula river.
In July 2024, the SC directed authorities to identify the land actually required for railway purposes, determine the families likely to be affected, and work out a rehabilitation plan.
In February 2026, the Supreme Court passed a substantive order in the matter, holding that occupants could not claim a legal right to remain indefinitely on the disputed railway land. At the same time, it directed the authorities to assess affected families for rehabilitation and facilitate applications.
The court also made it clear that residents could not insist on being rehabilitated on the same site.
Heavy police force and multiple companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) have been deployed in Banbhoolpura. (Source: File Photo) 
Vehicles set on fire by a mob during the violence
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