Ahmedabad Civic Body Approves Resettlement for Evicted Residents of Chandola Lake After Demolition Drive
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) granted in-principle approval on Thursday for a resettlement plan aimed at residents living in and around Chandola Lake, who have been in encroachments prior to 2010. The civic body announced this decision following its first survey of encroachments on the city’s largest water body, after demolishing around 4,000 residential and commercial structures. According to the AMC, the total area of the lake measures 11 lakh square meters, with 4 lakh square meters currently under encroachment. So far, 1.5 lakh square meters have been cleared, leaving 2.5 lakh square meters still occupied by an estimated 10,000 structures.
In their official statement, the AMC mentioned that during the Standing Committee’s meeting on May 8, it received approval to provide alternate housing for residents of Chandola Lake who have been residing there since before December 1, 2010. The state government has granted permission for these residents to receive Economically Weaker Section (EWS) houses under the Affordable Housing In-Partnership program within the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY) (Urban).
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devang Dani, who also chairs the Standing Committee, informed The Indian Express that residents with proof of residing there prior to 2010 can visit their local ward office in Danilimda to complete a form and submit two proofs of residence. Additionally, applicants must have an annual family income below Rs 3 lakh to qualify. Eligible residents will receive 70 square meters of EWS housing once the proposal is approved by the AMC General Board and forwarded to the state government, with costs set at Rs 3 lakh per house. Those eligible and willing to pay will be allocated the housing.
A previous report by The Indian Express revealed that the AMC had no resettlement plan for individuals evicted from the Chandola talav na chhapra and highlighted the lack of adherence to section 13 of the Gujarat Slum Rehabilitation Policy, which concerns the rehabilitation of project-affected persons and eligible slum dwellers. The AMC’s budget for 2025-26 stated that although waterfront development is planned, there is a pressing need to rehabilitate those living in untenable conditions around the lakes. The budget also mentioned that there are around 10,000 kutcha and pucca houses near various lakes, which will be incorporated into the PMAY-2 project.
When questioned about whether the resettlement of residents was part of the original plan, Dani referenced a 2015 survey by the Collector, which indicated that 8,000 residents were living around Chandola Lake. This assertion stands in contrast to the AMC’s own assessment, which identified 14,000 structures in the area before the initial three-day demolition operation conducted between April 29 and May 1.
On the availability of EWS housing in Ahmedabad, Dani stated that there are about 10,000 houses currently under construction, anticipated to be completed within the next 12 months. The form submissions and residency verification process will take additional time. Earlier, on May 5, Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil had also called for alternative housing arrangements for those displaced from Chandola Lake.
Ahmedabad, Cities
Original Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/week-after-demolition-drive-civic-body-gives-in-principle-nod-to-resettle-people-evicted-from-ahmedabads-chandola-lake-9991774/
Category: Ahmedabad,Cities
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Publish Date: 2025-05-09 01:35:00
