140+ Hours Without Power: Ahmedabad’s Prahladnagar Fire Station Hit by Unpaid Dues
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
The Prahladnagar Fire Station in Ahmedabad has been without electricity for more than 140 hours after power supply was disconnected over unpaid dues of ₹3.67 lakh. The outage has affected lighting in the garage, washroom and water pumps, raising concerns about facilities at an emergency response centre.
Station Officer Mehul Gadhvi allegedly failed to vacate his government quarters despite notices, leaving electricity bills and house rent unpaid for around 1.5 to two years. The garage reportedly remains dark at night.
Dismissed Officer Still Occupies Quarters
Gadhvi and former Divisional Fire Officer Inayat Sheikh had reportedly occupied official quarters for around two years without paying electricity bills and rent. Both were later removed from service in separate cases.
Gadhvi was dismissed following an investigation into an alleged recruitment scam involving fake National Fire Service College degrees. Sheikh was dismissed after he was allegedly caught accepting a bribe.
Sheikh has since vacated his quarters, but Gadhvi has yet to leave. Following the power disconnection, he reportedly returned to his native village, leaving his belongings inside the accommodation.
The delay in recovering the premises has raised questions about the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation’s (AMC) enforcement, particularly as the civic body regularly conducts drives against illegal encroachments.
Eligible Officers Still Waiting for Quarters
Gadhvi’s continued occupation has reportedly prevented other eligible officers from receiving government accommodation. Around five to seven officers who became eligible for officer quarters after promotions are still living in smaller staff quarters.
The situation has drawn attention to administrative lapses within the fire department, with a dismissed officer allegedly retaining official accommodation while serving personnel await allotment.
Similar Cases Reported at Other Fire Stations
The issue is not confined to Prahladnagar. Personnel removed from service at several other Ahmedabad fire stations have reportedly failed to vacate their official quarters.
Those named include:
- Maninagar Fire Station: Station Officer Shubham Khadia
- Naroda Fire Station: Station Officer Sudhir Gadhvi
- Jamalpur Fire Station: Fireman Eric Ribello
- Shahpur Fire Station: Sub Fire Officer Asif Sheikh
- Navrangpura Fire Station: Chief Fire Officer Amit Dongre
The outstanding electricity bill, unpaid rent and continued occupation of official quarters have put the AMC’s recovery efforts under scrutiny. The corporation’s next steps will determine when the premises can be recovered, dues collected and normal facilities restored at Prahladnagar Fire Station.
