Encroachment

Encroachers enter areas that are not previously occupied, without the permission of the owner. To know why encroachment is very common in India, watch this quick video.

Transcript

Encroachers enter areas that are not previously occupied, without the permission of the person who owns the property. Encroachment is very common in India because property titles are often vague, and weakly enforced. For instance, NRIs who own property in India, at times, find that local goons have encroached on their property. In some cases, this is a matter that could be resolved easily because encroachment is not always intentional. Many encroachers decide to give back property to the owner when it is pointed out that the property they hold does not belong to them. But, this is not necessarily the case. Encroachers may bribe local revenue authorities and use violence or threat of violence to hold on to property which they do not own. In some cases, law does not adequately protect you against encroachment because there are provisions in tenancy laws to protect the rights of people who appropriate property. People who build informal settlements often encroach on land owned by various government settlements. However, it is not true that everyone who lives in informal settlements are encroachers. Even though accurate figures are not available, many of them pay land rent. In many cases, illegal constructions on the road lead to traffic congestion and longer commute time. But, government authorities rarely try to evict encroachers because they might face great political opposition. Forest land, too, is often encroached upon.