Advertisement
When should a housing society in Mumbai start considering re...
From GST on JDAs to SEBI’s REIT reclassification and the S...
Stay ahead in the world of real estate with our daily podcas...
Stay ahead in the world of real estate with our daily podcas...
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has carried out a large-scale demolition drive to remove unauthorised constructions around Vadu Lake and Ropda Lake in the Ahmedabad Metropolitan Region. Officials said the action was taken to restore the eco-sensitive lake peripheries and enforce building regulations in areas where encroachments had narrowed buffer zones, impaired drainage, and disrupted natural water flows. AMC's teams removed various structures including boundary walls, temporary sheds and other illegal additions identified along designated lake protection zones. The exercise was conducted with support from law enforcement, local stakeholders and technical teams tasked with demarcation of no-construction limits. Civic authorities said the drive aligns with ongoing efforts to revive urban water bodies, protect floodplains and improve ecological resilience in the city's expanding urban landscape, and that follow-up monitoring would ensure compliance going forward.
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has executed a significant anti-encroachment operation, demolishing illegal structures around Vadu Lake and Ropda Lake, civic officials said. The drive follows prolonged concerns that unauthorised constructions were infringing upon prescribed lake buffer zones and wetland protection areas, undermining both regulatory norms and the ecological functions of urban water bodies. Advertisement
AMC personnel, supported by police and local enforcement teams, removed boundary walls, temporary sheds, makeshift structures and other encroachments that had been identified within the designated no-construction perimeters around the lakes. Technical teams had previously surveyed the areas to demarcate clear buffer limits in accordance with environmental guidelines and urban planning statutes.
Officials said the enforcement action was part of a broader initiative to restore and protect urban water bodies, especially eco-sensitive zones that are integral to groundwater recharge, flood mitigation and local microclimate regulation. Vadu Lake and Ropda Lake, located on the city's periphery, had drawn attention from residents and environmental groups over the past year due to visible shrinkage in open water areas and obstruction of natural drainage channels by informal structures.
AMC's move aligns with ongoing efforts by the corporation to curtail unplanned development on water body margins and preserve ecological resilience amid Ahmedabad's rapid urban expansion. The demolition drive was conducted after issuing notices and following due process, ensuring that actions adhered to statutory requirements under development control regulations and relevant municipal laws.
Officials stressed that the drive was necessary to reinforce adherence to lake protection norms and to address public safety concerns linked to encroachments in floodplain and wetland zones. They added that follow-up monitoring would be carried out to prevent re-encroachment and to ensure that the cleared areas remain free of unauthorised development.
Local residents and community groups welcomed the move, saying that preserving open lakefront spaces was crucial for environmental quality, biodiversity and recreational access. Some stakeholders also said that the action could set a precedent for similar enforcement in other parts of the metropolitan region where water bodies face pressure from urbanisation and informal development.
AMC has previously undertaken restoration and desilting works at various lakes as part of its water body rejuvenation programme, and officials indicated that future interventions could include landscaping, walking paths, and drainage improvements in consultation with environmental experts and local stakeholders.
The civic body's anti-encroachment team said it would continue to work with ward officials and area residents to maintain compliance with lake protection rules, and reiterated that any future development near designated eco-sensitive zones must obtain clearances and adhere to prescribed norms to safeguard Ahmedabad's urban ecological assets.
5th Jun, 2025
25th May, 2023
11th May, 2023
27th Apr, 2023
Advertisement
Facebook
Whatsapp
