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Loco pilot foils bid to attach engine, ‘escapes’ with train
There was high drama at Kancheepuram railway station on Friday morning when the loco pilot of Puducherry-Tirupati fast passenger train thwarted attempts by district court officials from seizing the engine of the train over Railway’s failure to pay compensation for acquiring land nearly two-decade ago.
By
migrator
migrator
Chennai
The Kancheepuram district court had ordered the seizure of the engine ofPuducherry-Tirupati passenger train.
The order came after the Railway failed to pay a compensation of Rs 37.6 lakh for a piece of land measuring 1.1-acre, which it had acquired at a low price while undertaking the expansion work of the Kancheepuram railway station in 1999.
The expansion work, which was carried out under the supervision of the former Minister of State for Railway AK Moorthy. As part of the work, the district collector and Revenue department officials had acquired land for the purpose, which was then handed it over to the Railway.
Those who owned the land were promised that they would be given a compensation in lieu of the land they had to give up.
But years later, when the Railway eventually paid compensation in 2007, the amount was only Rs 25 per sq ft — way less than the actual worth, Rs 110 per sq ft. Two land owners, Mumtaj and Mubarak Basha, filed a case at the Kancheepuram district court seeking enhanced compensation.
After the hearing in 2017, the Kancheepuram district sub court ordered the Railway to pay Rs 37.6 lakh. But it failed to pay the amount. A week ago, the court ordered the seizure of the train engine, and also the official cars of the district Collector andDistrict Revenue Officer of Kancheepuram.
Based on the order, the court officials and advocates arrived at the railway station on Friday morning.
When the Pondicherry-Tirupati passengers train arrived at 8.20 am, they showed the order to the loco pilot, station manager and other officials, and explained about the seizure order.
However, the loco pilot started the engine and left the station even as the officials were discussing the courtorder.
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