25 Apr 2025

The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has announced a property tax rebate initiative aimed at encouraging timely payments. Property owners who settle their dues by May 23, 2025, will receive a 10% rebate on residential properties and a 5% rebate on non-residential properties. An additional 1% rebate is offered for online payments, promoting digital transactions. While online payments are incentivized, offline payments remain accepted without the extra 1% discount. This move aligns with VMC's ongoing efforts to streamline tax collection and reduce arrears.Read more

18 Feb 2025

The Sanjaynagar housing project in Vadodara, launched under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, has faced significant delays, with only 22% completion in eight years. Intended as a public-private partnership, it aimed to rehabilitate displaced urban poor while facilitating commercial development. However, over 2,000 homes were demolished, and many affected families have not received the promised rent support, leading to financial distress. Despite multiple deadline extensions, construction remains stalled. The project's setbacks highlight issues in PPP execution, contractor accountability, and governance. Experts suggest adopting best practices from successful schemes to ensure timely completion and restore public trust.Read more

31 Dec 2024

The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has demolished unauthorized extensions of a bungalow in the Tandalja area as part of its efforts to enforce building regulations. Despite prior notices and complaints from residents, the illegal structures, including extensions and a washroom, remained unapproved. The move reflects VMC's broader crackdown on unauthorised constructions in the city, highlighting concerns over safety and urban planning violations. While some residents supported the action for ensuring compliance, others called for leniency and more time for the owners to rectify the violations. Amid rising cases of unauthorized constructions, VMC plans to implement stricter penalties and awareness campaigns to promote adherence to building laws and maintain the integrity of Vadodara's urban development.Read more

23 Jul 2024

The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) faces scrutiny over its Basic Services to the Urban Poor (BSUP) housing schemes due to significant structural issues. The Kishanwadi housing project, consisting of 94 blocks and 3,008 houses, has 24 blocks declared dilapidated, affecting 896 homes. Built between 2010 and 2012, these houses showed defects from the first monsoon season, including leaks and falling plaster. VMC claims poor maintenance by residents, while residents blame substandard construction. Safety concerns heightened after a ceiling collapse in Jambuva resulted in a fatality.Read more

14 Aug 2023

The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) is facing challenges in collecting Rs 100 crore in dues from 17,600 beneficiaries of housing schemes. Despite issuing notices, the VMC has recovered only a fraction of the amount and is caught between the need for payment and the potential humanitarian crisis of eviction. Struggling to balance financial accountability with social empathy, VMC is deliberating a policy decision to address this complex issue.Read more

06 Jul 2023

A controversy has emerged in Vadodara over the deteriorating condition of decade-old houses in Jivannagar and Himmatnagar. Residents, pointing to signs of rapid decay like visible cracks, seepage, and falling concrete, have lodged complaints about their living conditions. Despite officials blaming poor maintenance, residents insist the issues stem from shoddy construction. Demands have been made for new homes or relocation permissions. Meanwhile, Himmatnagar residents have asked for their scheme's consideration for redevelopment, asserting their readiness for such a process.Read more

19 Jun 2023

The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) is set to decide on disciplinary action against officials involved in a housing scheme scandal. It was discovered that a list of beneficiaries had been forged and houses were allocated to individuals not selected in the original draw. An inquiry revealed that an operator changed the lists under an executive engineer's instruction. A report has been submitted, and the VMC's standing committee will determine the appropriate action against the executive engineer.Read more