The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation will host a special garba event at Kankaria Lakefront on 24 October, bringing more than 1,000 persons with disabilities together with other citizens for an evening of cultural celebration. The event will be held from 7.30 pm to midnight, with free entry through six lakefront gates.
According to the event details reported by Divya Bhaskar, the programme is intended to give persons with disabilities an opportunity to participate in cultural activities, encourage their confidence and enable them to celebrate traditional garba alongside other residents. The event will take place after the conclusion of Navratri and has been planned as a new cultural use of the Kankaria Lakefront public space.
The civic body is calling the programme ‘Kankaria Garba’. It plans to create a festival setting within the lakefront premises, including a large circular area for garba and separate seating arrangements for families and friends who wish to watch the programme. The arrangement is designed to accommodate both active participants and visitors attending as spectators.
The event is expected to be attended by Ahmedabad Mayor Hitesh Barot as the chief guest. BJP state president and legislator Jagdish Vishwakarma, Minister of State for Urban Development and Urban Housing Darshanaben Vaghela, and MPs Hasmukhbhai Patel and Dineshbhai Makwana are also scheduled to be present. Deputy Mayor Anjuben Shah, Standing Committee Chairman Kamlesh Patel, ruling party leader Jashubhai Thakor and whip Atul Mishra are among the other public representatives expected to attend.
The civic administration has announced multiple safety measures in view of the anticipated turnout. These include a CCTV network across the lakefront, security guards, adequate lighting and medical teams positioned for emergencies. A rescue boat will be deployed along the lake edge, while police personnel, including the women’s wing, will be assigned to maintain law and order. Police personnel on security duty are also expected to wear traditional attire and participate in the celebration.
Free entry will be available through gates 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. The municipal administration has appealed to residents to attend in large numbers and support the participation of persons with disabilities. The event’s access arrangements and crowd management will be significant operational requirements because the programme combines a large public gathering with activities near a lakefront and extended evening hours.
The AMC has indicated that the event could become a larger annual programme if it is successful. The civic body will consider holding garba celebrations at Kankaria Lakefront across all nine days of Navratri next year, according to the event information reported by Divya Bhaskar.
