Ahmedabad Sets Up Monetisation Cell to Leverage Civic Assets
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has launched a dedicated asset monetisation cell to unlock revenue from its vast property portfolio and Smart City data.
The civic body aims to generate non-conventional income by strategically leveraging underutilised assets and datasets collected through digital governance initiatives. Operational since March 19, the nine-member Asset Monetisation Cell is headed by AMC commissioner Banchha Nidhi Pani. It includes senior officials across departments including projects, estate, finance, legal, planning, and accounting. A circular issued earlier this year formalised its formation, tasking the group with reviewing physical and digital assets for revenue potential. A primary focus of the cell is to monetise 4,113 leased civic properties, valued at over ₹2,000 crore. High-value sites such as the Municipal Market on CG Road are among the assets being considered. The committee will also examine prospects for developing reserved land through public-private partnership (PPP) models.
Alongside physical infrastructure, AMC aims to capitalise on Smart City data. This includes citizen tax records, traffic flow insights, utility consumption patterns, and municipal service usage—data viewed as highly valuable to private firms and researchers. A senior AMC official confirmed that the cell will assess which datasets can be sold commercially while ensuring legal safeguards. The cell will explore new revenue avenues such as allowing private buses on BRTS corridors and renting out municipal school premises during off-hours. It also plans to evaluate under-bridge spaces, parking lots, machinery, vehicles, and advertising locations for monetisation. This initiative builds on a September 2024 draft City Data Policy which proposed the creation of an open government data platform. The new monetisation push signals AMC’s intent to turn civic data and public infrastructure into sustainable revenue streams.
The committee will meet fortnightly to monitor progress and design standard operating procedures for implementation. It will also analyse the legal and financial implications of each move, including taxation and GST liabilities. As civic bodies across India seek innovative ways to bridge funding gaps, Ahmedabad’s monetisation strategy may serve as a template for other urban centres looking to optimise the value of public assets.
