Fruit Cart Removed, Nearby Panipuri Cart Spared by AMC Encroachment Team; Bribery Allegation Triggers Inquiry in Ahmedabad

Questions have been raised over an Ahmedabad encroachment drive after a fruit cart was removed in Chandlodiya while a nearby Panipuri cart was allegedly spared.

The incident took place in the Khodiyarnagar area, where an Estate Department team was carrying out an encroachment removal operation. A video of the action has since gone viral on social media.

Fruit Cart Removed, Panipuri Cart Left Untouched

The video shows municipal personnel clearing goods from a fruit cart before removing the cart from the roadside.

A Panipuri cart positioned nearby, however, appears to have been left untouched. The person recording the video questioned why action was taken against one cart while the other was allowed to remain at the same location.

The video also carries an allegation that the Panipuri cart was spared after money was allegedly paid to ensure it was not removed. The allegation has not been independently established.

Estate Department Employee Named In Video

The video refers to an Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation Estate Department employee identified as Ranjitbhai.

According to the person recording the footage, the Panipuri cart was moved to a safer location or taken inside in the employee's presence rather than being removed during the drive.

The incident has raised questions over whether encroachment action is being applied uniformly to street vendors operating in the area.

Locals Question Selective Action

Some residents have alleged that vegetable and fruit vendors are being specifically targeted during encroachment drives, while other roadside carts are being allowed to continue operating.

They have called for municipal action against roadside encroachments to be applied consistently, regardless of the type of goods being sold.

Locals have also raised a separate concern over the availability of designated vending spaces. They said that despite the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation spending substantial amounts on vegetable markets, facilities for some street vendors remain inadequate, forcing them to operate from roadsides.

AMC Says Video Will Be Examined

Hemaben Shakya, Deputy Estate Officer of the AMC's North-West Zone, said she would examine the viral video and conduct an inquiry into the matter.

The inquiry is expected to establish what happened during the encroachment drive and whether the allegations regarding differential treatment have any basis.