GS Scam Expose: Committee Reins In AMC Officials as Fresh Snag Hits AMC's ₹400 Crore Streetlight Tender

A major controversy has erupted within the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) over a centralised ₹400-crore tender issued for the operation and maintenance of city streetlights. Top elected representatives, including Standing Committee Chairman Kamlesh Patel and MLA Amul Bhatt, had explicitly instructed officials to float separate tenders across all seven zones. Ignoring these directives, civic officials proceeded with a single unified tender, prompting sharp reactions from the ruling elected body.

Concerned more about power than the ₹400-crore tender, officials have been strictly instructed by the Committee to present all future tender details before the relevant committee for thorough discussion prior to public release. Hitendra Parmar, Chairman of the E-Governance, Electrical and Material Programme Committee, stated that despite clear guidelines for zone-wise processing, a single centralised tender was prepared for the entire city—a development he learnt about through media reports. Parmar noted that proposals frequently have to be sent back due to inadequate prior assessment, which could easily be avoided if details were laid before the committee beforehand.

The issue came to light following investigative reports by Gujarat Samachar Digital, which revealed how officials bypassed office-bearers to issue a single consolidated tender while allowing contract estimates to surge from an initial ₹190.70 crore to nearly ₹400 crore.

Directives Repeatedly Ignored in Coordination Meetings

A senior civic office-bearer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, revealed that instructions to issue zone-wise tenders were issued not once or twice, but four separate times during coordination meetings chaired by the Municipal Commissioner. Calling out officials for disregarding established directives, the office-bearer confirmed plans to lodge a formal complaint before the appropriate forum.

Taking the matter further, MLA Amul Bhatt wrote a formal letter to Minister of State for Urban Development Darshanaben Vaghela. Copies of the representation were dispatched to the Principal Secretary of the Urban Development Department, alongside the AMC Mayor, Municipal Commissioner, Deputy Municipal Commissioner, and the Standing Committee Chairman.

Costs Soar from ₹190 Crore to Nearly ₹400 Crore

The procurement process for Ahmedabad's streetlight contract has faced persistent hurdles, with five previous attempts failing to materialise. As preparations get under way for a sixth attempt, significant cost revisions have come to light:

• Initial Estimate: The first three tender attempts carried an estimated cost of ₹190.70 crore.
• Peak Escalation: In the fourth and fifth attempts, the scope of work was expanded, pushing the estimated cost up to approximately ₹663.37 crore.
• Current Status: Officials are now drafting a fresh tender after separating SITC-related works, bringing the revised cost of ₹398.41 crore.

Even with the latest adjustments, the revised figure remains higher by ₹207.71 crore compared to the original estimate.

Zone-Wise Complaint Load

Public grievances regarding streetlight operations remain high across the city. According to official data logged up to 15 October 2026, the total number of complaints received across zones stands as follows:

• Central Zone: 15,871
• Eastern Zone: 15,430
• Northern Zone: 17,523
• North-West Zone: 12,430
• South-West Zone: 10,421
• Western Zone: 23,751
• Total Complaints: 1,21,067