Railways retrieve 2,826 acres of encroached land worth Rs 21.178 bln

Pakistan Railways has retrieved 2,826 acres of encroached land valued at Rs 21.178 billion during the last six financial years, from 2020-21 to 2025-26, as part of a comprehensive anti-encroachment campaign across the railway network. "Pakistan Railways owns a total of 168,858 acres of land, of which more than 70 per cent is being used for operational purposes," an official in the Ministry told APP. He said around 9.1 per cent of railway land has been leased out, while 4.97 per cent remains under illegal occupation by private individuals. Another 2.36 per cent is under forcible possession of government departments. To maximize revenue from its land assets, he said Pakistan Railways has implemented the Property and Land Rules 2023, allowing railway land to be leased through competitive and non-competitive bidding processes. He said railway land is leased under three categories: short-term, medium- and long-term, and non-competitive leasing.