₹68 Crore Spent, Zero Results: How AMC’s Empty Vegetable Markets Failed to Clear Ahmedabad Streets

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) blew past ₹68 crore to construct 19 purpose-built vegetable markets across the city to clear encroached footpaths and smooth out choking traffic. Today, 19 of those modern complexes sit built and virtually deserted, while vendors continue operating directly on the surrounding asphalt.

A ground audit of six newly finished sites reveals a systemic breakdown in execution: empty concrete stalls inside the compounds, crowded footpaths outside, and local municipal enforcement turning a blind eye.

High-Profile Launches, Deserted Platforms

Despite high-profile inaugurations—including three South West Zone markets opened in Jodhpur and Sarkhej in October 2025—the initiative has failed to shift the street trade indoors.

• Sarkhej Ward: The purpose-built facility adjacent to Krishnadham Awas stands completely abandoned by vendors, with stray dogs occupying the concrete platforms.
• Jodhpur Ward: Stalls near the Shaktimata Temple remain flooded with stagnant water, while another site near Prahladnagar Garden was recently commandeered for private social events and late-night volleyball games.
• Bodakdev Ward: At the Mansi Circle complex, stalls sit empty inside the perimeter while fruit and vegetable hawkers line the pavement right outside.
• Chandlodia Ward: Only two vendors operate inside the entire complex, driving away footfall due to lack of competitive pricing and variety.

The only outlier is Devnagar village in Gota, where vendor allocation managed to achieve consistent stall occupancy.

The Footfall Trap: Why Hawkers Refuse to Move

Vendors point to a fundamental commercial conflict: moving inside before footfall shifts guarantees daily revenue loss.

When hawkers initially occupied stalls at sites like Mansi Circle, customers continued buying from remaining roadside sellers along main arterial roads. Deprived of daily footfall, vendors abandoned their allotted stalls within days and returned to traditional footpath spots near Mother Dairy and Vastrapur.

Without coordinated enforcement from the AMC's Estate Department to clear illegal curbside vending, hawkers have zero commercial incentive to move inside.

Municipal Leadership Admits System Failure

The collapse of the policy has drawn open acknowledgment from civic committee heads. Jainik Vakil, Chairman of the AMC Road and Building Committee, recently rejected a proposal for an additional market in Gota, citing zero utility in existing structures. Similarly, Town Planning Committee Chairman Bhagyesh Patel confirmed that markets within his own ward remain entirely unused.

With two additional sites currently under construction, total expenditure will rise past ₹68 crore. Unless the AMC's Estate Department shifts strategy from building structure to driving footfall and enforcing street clearances, public funds remain locked in dead infrastructure while city roads stay blocked.