Bahucharaji Pilgrimage Site Officially Declared a Municipality by Gujarat Government
Ahmedabad: The Gujarat government has formally elevated the renowned pilgrimage town of Bahucharaji to the status of a municipality. This move comes despite previous opposition from local residents who had petitioned to keep the area under a Gram Panchayat (village council) system.
Effective immediately, the area will be governed as the Bahucharaji Municipality. The state’s Urban Development and Housing Board issued an official notification to this effect on Wednesday.
Official Notification Issued
According to the official notification released by the state’s Urban Development department, the Bechar-Bahucharaji Gram Panchayat in the Mehsana district has now been classified as a municipality. The upgrade was enacted under the provisions of the Gujarat Municipality Act.
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Government sources indicated that the decision was driven by necessity, citing Bahucharaji’s significance as a major pilgrimage destination (yatra-dham) and the presence of industrial units, including a Suzuki plant, in the surrounding area. The subsequent industrial development was a key factor in the state’s push for the administrative change.
Transition to Municipality Status
The state administration had initiated the process for this reclassification earlier. The Mehsana District Collector had previously instructed the Mamlatdar (revenue officer) to prepare and send a formal proposal for the upgrade. This directive led to a resolution being sought from the Gram Sabha (village assembly).
However, during the village assembly meeting, the local community expressed strong opposition to the move, advocating instead to retain the Gram Panchayat structure. Despite these objections, the state government has proceeded, finalizing the transition with the published notification. The Bahucharaji Municipality is now officially in effect.