Gandhinagar Demolition Drive Razes 400 Structures Along Sabarmati on Day One

Overview

• An early-morning operation led by the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation and the state Roads and Buildings Department with police support is targeting roughly 700 illegal constructions across 1 lakh square metres.
• Demolitions spanned GEB, Pethapur, Charedi and riverbank stretches, with over 700 police personnel, 20 administrative teams and about 20 JCBs deployed, while GMC reported using 18 machines and 250 staff on its portion.
• Officials said about 90% of the cleared units were residential, with some shops and a few religious structures, and noted that occupants received three notices over two months.
• The encroached tract is estimated at roughly Rs 1,000 crore in market value, with around 70% under the R&B department and 30,000 square metres under the municipal corporation.
• The Gandhinagar action extends a broader state anti-encroachment campaign seen in May in Ahmedabad and Rajkot, with plans for rehabilitation and future use of the cleared area yet to be finalized.