Ahmedabad To Launch Second Phase Of Major Demolition Drive At Chandola Lake On May 2
Ahmedabad: The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is set to begin the second phase of a large-scale demolition drive at Chandola Lake on May 20. This follows the city’s largest-ever clearance operation in the area, targeting illegal settlements built around the lake.
As part of this renewed effort, AMC’s Estate Department teams from all zones have begun conducting surveys of unauthorized structures. Residents currently living in the affected areas have been instructed to vacate their homes. Authorities have also indicated that action will be taken against certain land-grabbing mafias still operating in the region.
Deputy Municipal Commissioner Bharat Parmar confirmed that all illegal constructions will be cleared as part of this operation. The area is home to an estimated 10,000 semi-permanent and temporary dwellings. Residents who have been living there since before 2010 have been invited to apply for alternative housing.
During the first phase, roughly 4,000 unauthorized structures across 150,000 square meters were demolished. Authorities now estimate that around 2.5 lakh square meters of land is still occupied by nearly 10,000 additional illegal structures.
The upcoming demolition will be carried out under heavy police presence to ensure law and order. Once the illegal encroachments are cleared, AMC plans to construct boundary walls or fencing to protect the lake area from future encroachments.
In a standing committee meeting held earlier this month, AMC approved a plan to provide alternative housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) to those who can prove residency in the Chandola area before December 2010. These homes will be allotted under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category, subject to specific conditions.
Affected families must submit at least two valid documents proving residency before 2010 and show an annual family income of ₹3 lakh or less. Only those who meet the criteria after document verification, and if necessary, police clearance, will be considered eligible for the housing scheme.
Authorities have stated that several unauthorized occupants, including foreign nationals, were removed during the first phase. Some of the illegal Bangladeshi settlers were reportedly deported, while Indian residents who meet eligibility criteria will be provided relocation support.