From Benches to Sculptures: How Ahmedabad Corporators Are Spending Millions on Street Corner Artworks

Ahmedabad: A shifting trend in how local corporators utilize municipal discretionary funds has sparked intense debate across Ahmedabad. Moving away from the long-standing practice of installing branded public benches, city representatives are increasingly diverting ward development grants toward installing decorative sculptures at minor traffic junctions, with the Asarwa ward alone sanctioning ₹35 lakh for artworks across five intersections.

The Municipal Corporation established local corporator grants years ago to ensure timely resolution of grassroots civic grievances and small-scale infrastructure needs. While senior office-bearers like the Mayor receive higher allocations than general corporators, the primary intent remains fixing local public amenities. However, the surge in beautification projects over essential public works has drawn scrutiny regarding budget priorities.

Road Committee Clears ₹35 Lakh for Five Asarwa Junctions

The Road Committee recently approved a proposal allocating ₹35 lakh specifically for installing sculptures at five separate traffic circles in Asarwa ward. Civic observers and local residents have questioned whether spending such substantial public funds on aesthetic street art takes precedence over urgent basic infrastructure requirements and essential civic services.

The shift reflects an evolving trend across multiple municipal wards, where crossroads are reshaped into small landscaped circles to accommodate costly public art under the umbrella of urban beautification.

Quotation Allocation Process Raises Transparency Concerns

Beyond the growing expenditure on public sculptures, the administrative mechanism used to award these contracts has drawn attention within civic circles.

Key operational aspects under discussion include:

• Quotation-Based Allotments: Smaller civic works are often awarded through direct quotation procedures rather than open, large-scale tendering.
• Contractor Networks: Civic sources indicate specific contractor groups remain active across various zones for executing decorative sculpture installations.
• Calls for Administrative Scrutiny: Industry insiders emphasize that evaluating approved budgets, quotation procedures, vendor selection, and actual work execution is essential to ensuring transparency.

The trend highlights a broader debate on whether local development grants are delivering maximum utility to citizens or merely shifting from one cosmetic vanity project to another.