Uganda Railways Corporation (URC) has embarked on a demolition of all structures and settlements from its railway reserves nationwide.
The corporation has on several times ordered owners of illegal structures built next to the railway line to demolish them or be evicted but most of these people have been adamant to the instruction.
In the move aimed at reducing accidents along the line, the URA management wants structures within 30 metres astride the railway line demolished or shifted.
John Ssengendo, the Uganda Railways Corporation communications officer, said they have received funds from the government to rehabilitate the meter gauge railway from Malaba to Kyengera, from Tororo to Pakwach through Gulu.
He said the corporation is also slated to receive funds in the near future to construct the SGR from Kampala to Kasese.
"It is true that in recent months, a number of wrong people have intensified illegal activities within the railway reserves, which are defeating government’s objective of revamping railway transport in the country," he said.
In preparation for these projects, he said URC has conducted various exercises among which is the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) whose cutoff date was May 2022.
The corporation held meetings with various local and national leaders, defended URC and won some cases where some encroachers opted to seek legal redress, signed off some commitments to stop the encroachment with some of the stakeholders and also carried out public sensitisation to stop encroachment and vandalism.
"The cutoff date of May 2022 was agreed with all Stakeholders – it was agreed that after this date no one would be allowed to carry out any new activity or do any kind of settlement in the railway reserves," he said.
Ssengendo said they will continue to demolish all the new structures relentlessly and prosecute all encroachers until the vice stops.
