AHMEDABAD — Intensifying its campaign to rejuvenate water bodies across the city, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) on Monday morning initiated a massive anti-encroachment drive at Vandervat Lake in the Vatva area. The operation targets approximately 400 illegal structures erected within and around the lake’s perimeter.
This action follows similar large-scale demolition drives recently conducted at the Chandola and Isanpur lakes, signalling a sustained effort by the civic body to clear water bodies of illegal settlements.
FOUR-PHASE OPERATION UNDER HEAVY SECURITY
The demolition began early on January 20, focusing initially on removing encroachments near the Naiya Mayank Seasonable Store. According to AMC officials, the entire clearance process has been strategized into four distinct phases.
Given the scale of the operation and the potential for resistance, a robust security cordon has been established. Approximately 500 police personnel from Zone-6 have been deployed to maintain law and order. On the administrative side, the AMC has mobilised over 300 officers and employees to monitor the proceedings. The Estate Department has formed 10 specialised teams to execute the drive, utilising heavy machinery including 10 Hitachi excavators and five JCBs, supported by a large workforce of labourers.
Officials confirmed that while the drive targets residential and commercial encroachments, two primary religious structures, including the Firdos Masjid, have been exempted from the current demolition process.
REHABILITATION AND PROCEDURAL COMPLIANCE
Civic authorities stated that due process was followed prior to the demolition. Legal notices were issued to the occupants, directing them to vacate the encroached land voluntarily. The forced demolition was initiated only after these directives were ignored by a section of the residents.
To mitigate the hardship faced by displaced families, the AMC has implemented specific humanitarian measures. AMTS buses have been placed on standby to assist residents in transporting their belongings. Furthermore, the corporation has arranged for those left without alternative accommodation to be shifted to AMC-run shelter homes.
ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION
The removal of these encroachments is part of a broader government project to develop Vandervat Lake. The primary objective is to restore the water body’s storage capacity, which officials say will significantly improve groundwater levels and alleviate waterlogging issues in the surrounding low-lying areas during the monsoon season.
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