Over the past 14 months, the Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has razed as many as 1,666 houses built in Vatva for the economically weaker sections (EWS) citing their “dilapidated condition”.  

While it is par for the course for ageing buildings to be demolished and rebuilt, these EWS homes were barely a decade old. Constructed in 2014 as part of a larger project of 8,960 units built in six phases, several of the demolished houses were never allocated to beneficiaries despite a 2017 CAG report highlighting the issue.

The demolition drive, which began on July 15, 2023, has raised serious questions about the city’s housing allocation policies, structural integrity of its buildings, and the apparent disconnect between elected officials and administrative actions. 

Dissent in the ranks?

Adding to the controversy is that Ahmedabad Mayor Pratibha Jain has washed her hands of the situation, claiming ignorance of the large-scale demolition. 

“If you’ve taken action, you should answer the media,” she reportedly told civic officials after a protest on September 20, where the Opposition demanded a swift and thorough investigation into the razing. 

This is a unique instance in which members of the majority party have taken an aggressive stance against the administrative body. 

Cracks in the system

As per the city’s contract signed with MV Omni, which built the demolished units, the defect liability period ended in 2017. 

According to Deputy Municipal Commissioner Rigdhesh Rawal, a structural stability study commissioned in March 2023 reported issues such as protruding roof rails, wall gaps, and a collapsed house. This led to the decision to demolish 52 of the 59 blocks, or 2,200 homes, built in the fifth phase of the EWS housing project, which had cost the city ₹55.2 crore, he said. 

Currently, 224 dwellings remain occupied. Contractor LJ Purani has been tasked with clearing debris from the demolition site.

Speculations abound

Area residents suspect that unallocated EWS housing in Vatva is being razed under political pressure to free up land for the high-speed rail corridor being constructed between Ahmedabad and Mumbai.   

The AMC has an annual budget of ₹12,000 crore. It also receives annual grants worth crores under various Central and state government housing schemes like Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana to build housing units.

Given this apparent abundance of resources, it is concerning that the AMC permitted the construction of EWS housing of such low quality that it deteriorated within less than a decade. 

Also concerning is that the civic body failed to allocate houses, even after the CAG report.

Yet, perhaps the most perplexing issue is how the AMC managed to sneak a mass-demolition order past its leader, without her getting a whiff of it.

As Ahmedabad grapples with this housing demolition controversy, the incident raises serious questions about governance, accountability, and the fate of affordable housing initiatives in the city.

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