Ahmedabad municipal corporation elections: BJP promises hospitals, bridges

Apart from reiterating promises made in previous elections and talking about ongoing projects in the city, the BJP's manifesto has nothing new to offer. The Sankalp Patra (Letter of Promise), as the party calls its manifesto, mostly talks of development.

Asit Vora, chairman of the standing committee of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), and other BJP leaders briefed the media on Monday about the party's plans for the city if it was voted to power. However, a careful scrutiny of the manifesto shows that, apart from a promise to build new bridges and add beds to AMC-managed hospitals, there is little new in the party's promises.

The manifesto also talks of providing basic amenities in the newly-merged areas.

"We have not yet decided to build a new hospital in the New West Zone but we can always plan one for it," said Vora during a media briefing at the state BJP office in Khanpur. The party has also promised to provide drinking water and drainage facilities in areas adjacent to the Sardar Patel ring road - something that is already included in the Swarnim Gujarat project.

The party's other promises include a plan to rehabilitate slum-dwellers, a 750-bed hospital in the eastern part of the city, 300 new rooms in municipal schools and a modern gymnasium in each ward.

The party's commitment to ongoing projects cover the Gujari Bazar on Sabarmati riverfront, 10 urban resource centers, wide roads on both sides of the riverfront, ward-wise civic centers, floating restaurants along the riverfront, and multilevel parking at Kankaria, among others.