A group of residents staying near the city railway station today sought the intervention of the district administration, following an eviction notice issued to them by the Railways.

The Salem Division of Southern Railway has issued eviction notices to 45 residents on December 2 to vacate their houses and huts in Kadalaikara street, just five feet away from the track near the Coimbatore Junction.

Since 15 days’ time was given to them to vacate from the encroached land, the residents today petitioned District Collector T.N. Hariharan urging him to allot an alternate place for them.

The memorandum urged the administration to allot them houses from Slum Clearance Board.

According to railway sources, the Southern Railways has decided to construct a compound wall to prevent trespassing to the station and track through Kadalaikara street.

Moreover, according to Railway Safety Rules, houses or huts should be 20 metres away from the track, whereas in this case houses were just five feet away from the track, they added.