Ahmedabad Slum dwellers get HC breather

Some 200 slum dwellers of Ambawadi area got temporary respite from the Gujarat High Court which gave a stay order to halt the demolition drive of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation on Wednesday. The estate and town planning department had planned to demolish 200 hutments located on AMC’s reserve plot near Azad Society in Ambawadi.

HR Shah, deputy estate and town development office of AMC west zone, said, 4,100 square metre plot was reserved for setting up a health centre and a maternity home. However, nearly 200 hutments came up on the plot.

“Neighbouring residents had approached Gujarat HC for evacuation of the encroachment and also complained to the civic body. Of the total 200 hutments, 50 were eligible for optional residential arrangements and the slum dwellers were asked to shift to EWS housing at Piplaj in November,” said Shah. However, when they didn’t cooperate, the civic body carried out the demolition drive, he said.

The estate department’s envoy involved some 120 people including police and SRP personnel and staff of estate and town planning department of new west and west zone of AMC. The department gave two hours to the slum dwellers to evacuate the plot. Meanwhile, the slum dwellers approached the state HC and obtained a stay on the demolition drive. Till then the department had demolished some 15 hutments.

Meanwhile, the central demolition cell razed 34 illegal flats located in two buildings near Khodiyarnagar in Behrampura ward.