South Western Railway Fences Off Banaswadi Yard Land to Stop Dumping Menace

South Western Railway (SWR) has cleared piles of accumulated garbage and erected corrugated sheet fencing on its vacant land near the Banaswadi Railway Station underpass, ending a decades-long waste dumping nuisance for local residents and commuters.

Over the years, the unused railway property near Hutchins Road had turned into an open dumping ground. Miscreants routinely discarded household trash, sanitary items, broken sanitary ware, discarded clothes, dilapidated furniture, poultry waste, and animal carcasses across the site, turning the stretch into an eyesore and creating serious health risks for the neighbourhood.

Following persistent appeals from local residents, conservancy workers cleared the site, and SWR authorities installed corrugated sheets on a structural framework to completely seal the perimeter. Residents had urged the railways to install a solid enclosure rather than wire mesh to ensure trespassers could no longer toss garbage over the boundary.

Albert R, founder-president of the Cooke Town Nivasigala Sangha, stated that the black spot had persisted for decades before the recent intervention. He noted that the railway administration honoured its assurance following persistent follow-ups with Assistant Divisional Engineer Dharmapuri, alongside representations supported by Energy Minister KJ George and Ward President Girish.

Welcoming the completion of the barrier, resident Som Thomas observed that the corrugated sheets around the unused acre of land adjoining the railway station would help protect the plot from turning into a perpetual waste ground while it remains unutilised. Thomas added that civic administration needs to place stronger emphasis on penalising offenders and preventing illegal dumping on both public and private sites across the city.