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Key Points

In a significant operation led by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, over 400 illegal structures were demolished in Akbarnagar, freeing up 15,000 square meters of public land. The swiftly executed operation involved heavy machinery and a large police presence to maintain order. Deputy Municipal Commissioner Vishal Khanama highlighted past attempts to resettle families in Vatwa, pointing to long-standing encroachment issues. The cleared area is set for redevelopment into public amenities, further secured by a new boundary wall under construction.

Key Points: Ahmedabad's Akbarnagar AMC Demolishes 400 Illegal Huts

  • AMC razes over 400 illegal structures in Akbarnagar
  • Extensive police presence ensured peaceful operation
  • Reclaimed land planned for public amenities
  • Swift demolition with heavy machinery assistance
2 min read

Gujarat: AMC demolishes 400 illegal huts in Ahmedabad eviction drive

AMC clears 15,000 sq.m. in massive Akbarnagar demolition, reclaiming land for public use.

"Back in 2014, 221 families from Akbarnagar were allotted housing in Vatwa. - Vishal Khanama"

Ahmedabad, May 29

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) in Gujarat razed over 400 illegal structures in Akbarnagar, a densely populated settlement in the Bapunagar area, behind the SP office near Ajit Mill crossroads.

The operation, led by AMC's Estate Department, was carried out under heavy police security and cleared approximately 15,000 square meters of municipal land.

The demolition began early in the morning and was completed within two hours using a fleet of earth-moving machinery that included five JCBs, two Hitachi breakers, seven Hitachi machines, and 14 additional heavy-duty vehicles.

Around 100 labourers were deployed to assist in the clearance. Debris removal is underway, and the site is being prepared for the construction of a boundary wall to prevent future encroachments.

Deputy Municipal Commissioner Vishal Khanama, who supervised the operation, said the action followed the issuance of eviction notices to the residents. He noted that this was not the first attempt to rehabilitate the settlement.

"Back in 2014, 221 families from Akbarnagar were allotted housing in Vatwa, but 76 of them returned and continued to live illegally on this land," he said.

The AMC claimed that the demolition was carried out following due legal process. Officials said the area had long been marked for encroachment removal, and the clearance was necessary to reclaim public land.

Security arrangements were extensive to ensure the operation remained peaceful.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) R.D. Ojha of H Division said the deployment included two ACPs, nine Police Inspectors, 27 Sub-Inspectors, nearly 400 constables, and 10 units of the State Reserve Police (SRP).

"The operation was completed without any significant resistance or incident," he claimed.

AMC officials claimed that the reclaimed land may soon be repurposed for public amenities such as a library, a park, and a ward office.

Plans are in the pipeline, and construction of the boundary wall is expected to begin shortly to secure the site from further encroachment.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rajesh P.
Finally some action against illegal encroachments! Our cities are getting choked because of such settlements. AMC should continue such drives across Ahmedabad. Public land must be protected. 👍
P
Priya M.
While I understand the need to clear encroachments, my heart goes out to the families who lost their homes. The government should ensure proper rehabilitation first. Just giving houses in Vatwa isn't enough if there's no livelihood there.
A
Amit K.
Good move by AMC! But why did it take so many years? These encroachments have been there for decades. Our municipal corporations need to be more proactive rather than waiting for things to get out of hand.
S
Sunita R.
The scale of police deployment shows how tense these situations can become. It's sad that public land gets encroached upon like this. Hope the proposed library and park will benefit everyone in the area. 🌳
V
Vikram J.
Interesting that 76 families returned after getting proper housing. This shows rehabilitation schemes need better planning - maybe provide jobs nearby too? Otherwise people will keep coming back to familiar areas.
N
Neha D.
The machinery used sounds impressive, but I wonder about the cost of such operations. Wouldn't it be better to prevent encroachments in the first place with regular monitoring? Prevention is better than cure, na?

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