Key Points

The operation is aimed at clearing encroachments of around 1,100 residents. The massive drive was launched under the direction of the Anand District Collector as part of Borsad Municipality’s ongoing anti-encroachment campaign.

The crackdown began on Monday with municipal teams -- aided by five JCBs, six tractors, and a heavy police presence -- targeting illegally constructed homes near Mojra Lake, Panchvad, and Santhnagar, close to Borsad Police Station.

The reports were shared on Tuesday. During the demolition, the area resembled a police camp, with two mobile police vans, over 40 police officers, and more than 50 Home Guards and Traffic Regulation Brigade/Branch (TRB) personnel deployed to maintain law and order.

Both traffic routes into Kantannagar were sealed off. The municipality claims to have cleared 60,000 square meters of encroached land -- valued at approximately Rs 40 crore. Of this, 28,000 square meters are now being earmarked for a new housing scheme to rehabilitate displaced families. The demolition was carried out with the help of 25 municipal staff, one Hitachi machine, five JCBs, six tractors, two GEB vehicles, and three police jeeps.

In Gujarat, demolition drives to remove illegal encroachments have intensified across major cities, including Borsad, Ahmedabad, Jamnagar, Surat, and Vadodara, as part of municipal and state-level efforts to reclaim public land and enforce urban planning regulations.

In Ahmedabad, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has been conducting a series of demolition drives targeting illegal constructions along key arterial roads, riverbanks, and near public parks. In recent operations, dozens of unauthorised commercial shops and roadside dwellings were removed, especially in areas like Juhapura, Vejalpur, and Naroda.

These demolitions have been justified under the city’s smart development and traffic decongestion plans, though concerns over inadequate rehabilitation and sudden notice periods persist.

Meanwhile, in Jamnagar, the municipal corporation undertook a demolition drive near the Lakhota Lake and surrounding heritage areas to preserve environmental integrity and clear illegal stalls and encroachments. The administration cleared dozens of structures built on government land, citing tourism development and public safety as key reasons.

- IANS