The Jamnagar Municipal Corporation (JMC) resumed demolition of illegal encroachments along the Rangamati and Nagmati rivers near Ranjit Sagar Road on Friday.
The action targets approximately 66,000 square feet of illegally occupied riverbank land, valued at around ₹1 crore. Notices had earlier been served to 33 encroachers. Friday’s operation deployed six JCB machines, four tractors, one excavator, and more than 100 civic workers supported by police, including women officers from the City A Division. The clearance forms part of the Riverfront Development Project and is aimed at preventing urban waterlogging and monsoon flooding. A similar operation on Wednesday cleared 50,000 square feet of land between Kalavad Naka and Nageshwar. Parallel efforts are underway in Ahmedabad, where the Municipal Corporation (AMC) concluded a massive two-phase demolition around Chandola Lake in Danilimda. Beginning April 29, the drive ended on May 22 with the removal of around 12,500 illegal structures, including homes, shops, and religious sites, reclaiming nearly four lakh square metres of land.
The AMC operation used 35 bulldozers, 15 earthmovers, over 350 civic staff, and 3,000 police and State Reserve Police personnel to maintain order. While the civic bodies have justified the actions as essential for sustainable urban planning and flood control, concerns have emerged about the rehabilitation of those displaced. The AMC stated that only residents who settled before 2010 are eligible for resettlement under the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) housing scheme. However, critics argue that the scheme’s rollout lacks clarity and urgency.
As monsoon approaches, civic agencies across Gujarat appear firm in their resolve to restore natural waterways and enforce building codes—moves seen as long overdue by some, and sudden disruptions by others.
