Several residents, along with activists, told South First that most of the houses they were living in had been constructed long before the railway line was built. In fact, some of them were sanctioned by the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike in 2017, they said.
Published Nov 05, 2025 | 8:00 AM ⚊ Updated Nov 05, 2025 | 8:00 AM
Residents allege that police and RPF officials forced them out of their homes.
Synopsis: Around 150, largely Dalit families in north-west Bengaluru have been left homeless after their houses were demolished to make way for the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project, with residents alleging that officials forcibly evicted them without prior notice. Many say they were misled into signing consent forms and received no clear communication from the authorities, despite having lived in the area for decades with documents sanctioned by the erstwhile BBMP.
Near the Kadugondanahalli railway gate in north-west Bengaluru, several men, women, and children lie beside the railway tracks. They appear unfazed by the frequent rumble of trains passing close by.
Until the morning of Friday, 31 October, they had been living in houses adjoining the area for decades, before bulldozers razed their homes to make way for the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP).
Now, they are camping by the tracks, surrounded by dust, without basic facilities, and uncertain about their future.
The demolition drive, carried out by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) to double the railway line as part of the BSRP, has left around 150 families—mostly Dalits—homeless.
When residents resisted by standing in front of the bulldozers, officials allegedly resorted to a lathi charge.
Residents allege that police and RPF officials forced them out of their homes and onto the nearby road while their belongings remained inside.
When they resisted by standing in front of the bulldozers, officials allegedly resorted to a lathi charge, injuring several people who were later admitted to hospital.
“None of the political leaders who usually come to seek votes during elections came to help us. We just asked them for more time so that we could find another place to live. We can’t afford to rent a place; many of the people living here are daily-wage workers, house helps, and garment workers,” said Sneha, a young woman whose house was demolished.
She told South First that she fainted during the demolition drive because she had not eaten or drunk anything all day, unable to access the food and water inside the very house being torn down.
Families who have lived in the area for decades told South First they were misled into signing documents that purportedly gave their consent for the demolition.
Some residents said they were informed a day prior to the demolition that officials would be coming to talk to them about the project.
Despite repeatedly reaching out to multiple officials and the local MLA, Congress leader and Cabinet Minister of Energy KJ George, over the past few years, they said they were never informed of the exact date when the drive would take place.
“Many who live here are not literate. They were told that they would lose their homes if they did not give consent. So they were lured into giving signatures. They did not know the real impact it could have,” said Ashwini, one of the residents whose house was demolished.
She explained that railway engineers had earlier told them the plan was only to demolish structures up to the compound walls of the houses. However, on Friday, some houses were completely demolished while others were partially razed, leaving behind broken structures that are not inhabitable.
Raju, a resident standing amid the rubble of what remains of their homes, said they have been living without washrooms since the demolition. “For men, it is okay. But what about women and children? Where will they relieve themselves or take a bath?” he asked.
Some residents said they were informed a day earlier that several officials would be coming to talk to them about the project. They did not, however, expect their houses to be razed the very next day.
“We never opposed the project. We only asked for prior intimation so that we could have been prepared. Now where are we supposed to go?” asked Ashwini.
For now, the residents do not know where their future lies. While verbal assurances about compensation were given by officials, residents seem unsure.
Ashwini and Sneha were among the residents who stood in front of the JCB to stop it from destroying their homes. They alleged that RPF officials and police pushed the protestors aside and hit them when they refused to move. “Many were severely injured, including my mother, who was hit on her back,” Sneha said.
Sneha recalled how a widow, Kasturi, poured kerosene over herself in despair at the uncertainty of her future. “She was saying how she did not have the strength to think about what to do next,” Sneha said.
The South Western Railway, however, has denied allegations that residents were evicted without due procedure.
Several residents, along with activists, told South First that most of the houses they were living in had been constructed long before the railway line was built. In fact, some of them were sanctioned by the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in 2017, they said.
“If the government wanted this land as part of their railway project, they should have told us back then. We would have made alternate arrangements,” said Raju.
Railway engineers had earlier told them the plan was only to demolish structures up to the compound walls of the houses.
He said families living there had an Aadhaar card and a ration card with the same address. They have also been paying electricity bills and property taxes for years.
Out of desperation, many of them told the RPF on Friday that they would demolish the compound walls themselves in a couple of days once they found another place to live.
“We pleaded with them just for some more time. A day earlier, one of them came and told us we have four days’ time. But suddenly the next day they came and made us homeless,” another resident in the area said, pointing towards the uncertain nature of the demolition drive.
For now, the residents do not know where their future lies. While verbal assurances about compensation were given by officials, residents seem unsure. “We do not know what to do. We are thinking of sitting on the road or on the tracks and doing a dharna,” said Raju, while tossing bottles of fruit juice from a shop nearby to women who were entering their razed homes.
They plan to make another makeshift tent to house all the displaced residents. While most adults have had to stop working for the time being, it is the younger generation—the first in their families to complete their education—who are trying to keep things afloat. “I am the only working person in my family. All our savings went in my education,” said Ashwini.
Meanwhile, Sneha questioned how long they could continue to survive in makeshift tents. “Most of us are wearing the same clothes that we wore on Friday,” she said.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
