Ahmedabad deputy civic chief flags unresolved issues in his zone

Basic civic issues such as faulty street lighting, poor sanitation and the presence of stray cattle remain unresolved in parts of Ahmedabad, the deputy municipal commissioner of South Zone said during the weekly review meeting of Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) on Wednesday.

Deputy Commissioner Bharat Parmar openly expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of response from concerned departments, saying repeated complaints from his zone were not being addressed. 

Observers noted that it was the first time a deputy commissioner had publicly raised such concerns at the weekly review meeting.

Parmar said several complaints had been received about street lights not functioning in the South Zone. Despite repeatedly flagging the issue, he said officials of the electrical department had failed to take corrective action. He also pointed out shortcomings in sanitation, stating that four to five public toilets inspected during recent rounds were found to be unclean, while stray animals continued to roam on roads.

Taking note of the complaints, Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani sought explanations from officials of the electrical department. He also questioned the estate and town development officer (TDO) departments over the lack of action against illegal constructions, despite repeated instructions.

In response, officials cited the absence of police support as the reason for inaction. 

The municipal commissioner dismissed the explanation and remarked sarcastically that municipal staff did not require police protection to remove encroachments or take action against illegal constructions. “If needed, tell me, I will come along,” he said.

The commissioner also directed officers from various departments to submit weekly progress reports on projects with budgetary allocations exceeding ₹50 crore, stressing the need for closer monitoring to ensure timely and effective implementation of civic works.