Prayagraj: The Prayagraj Division of North Central Railway (NCR) on Wednesday launched an extensive anti-encroachment drive and successfully reclaimed over 4,000 sqm of railway land from illegal occupation. The recovered land, situated between Prayagraj and Naini, is estimated to be worth Rs 8 crore.The operation was jointly carried out by the engineering department of the Prayagraj Division, the Railway Protection Force (RPF), and the local police.PRO of Prayagraj Division, Amit Kumar Singh said: “Prior notices were issued to encroachers, instructing them to vacate the railway land. However, in cases where these directives were ignored, strict action was taken, and the encroached land was forcefully vacated with the help of law enforcement agencies.”The drive is part of a broader strategy to clear railway land for the construction of safety walls and other infrastructure upgrades aimed at supporting high-speed rail operations. Under the ambitious “Mission Raftaar” initiative, Indian Railways is working to facilitate trains running at 160 kmph between Delhi and Howrah. This involves upgrading tracks, modernising signaling systems, eliminating level crossings and constructing boundary walls to enhance operational safety.The railway administration has emphasised that such drives will continue in a phased and intensified manner.