Ahmedabad civic body collects Rs 15.24 lakh in fines during 24-day anti-encroachment drive

Ahmedabad, Sep 26 (IANS) The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) removed 1,428 lari-gallas and 413 sheds from public roads and other locations across the city during a 24-day encroachment removal drive, while imposing fines on 2,340 vehicles and collecting Rs 15.24 lakh in penalties, an official statement said on Saturday.

The Estate/Town Development Department carried out the drive across all seven municipal zones from September 1 to September 24, as part of measures aimed at addressing traffic-related problems and clearing public spaces.

During the period, civic teams also removed 1,882 bamboo, rope and tarpaulin structures and 8,479 other miscellaneous items. They also removed 3,680 advertising boards, banners and hoardings installed on public roads.

In the West Zone, operations were conducted on roads including the stretches from Golden Triangle to Stadium Char Rasta, Swastik Char Rasta, Panchvati Five Roads and Parimal Garden to the underpass and railway line, besides the stretches from Golden Triangle to Sardar Patel Statue, Naranpura Char Rasta, Ankur Char Rasta and Shastrinagar Char Rasta.

The zone removed 172 lari-gallas, 23 sheds, 159 bamboo-rope-tarpaulin structures and 1,393 other miscellaneous items. It also removed 528 advertising boards, banners and hoardings.

A total of 174 vehicles were locked and 235 fined, with Rs 1.25 lakh collected.

In the North-West Zone, the drive covered roads from Damru Circle in Ghatlodia to the Gujarat High Court complex via Chanakyapuri Road, Rannapark to Prabhat Chowk, Judges Bungalow Road, Pakwan Char Rasta via Mansi Circle to Keshavbagh, ISKCON Char Rasta to Pakwan Char Rasta and stretches from Pakwan Char Rasta towards Thaltej, Gota and Vaishnodevi Circle, besides other areas.

The zone removed 222 lari-gallas, 63 sheds, 287 bamboo-rope-tarpaulin structures and 1,241 miscellaneous items. It also removed 349 advertising boards, banners and hoardings.

As many as 546 vehicles were locked and 514 fined, resulting in Rs 2.66 lakh in penalties. In the South-West Zone, action was taken from Canyug Char Rasta to Shyamal Char Rasta, Shyamal Char Rasta to Circle-P, along Prahladnagar S.G. Highway and from ISKCON Circle to Ujala Circle, besides other locations under PIL.

The teams removed 153 lari-gallas, 83 bamboo-rope-tarpaulin structures and 819 miscellaneous items, along with 481 advertising boards, banners and hoardings. A total of 208 vehicles were locked and 208 fined, with Rs 1.87 lakh collected.

In the East Zone, the operation covered Hastinapur Society, Hatkeshwar Circle Road, Rabari Colony Metro, Sadguru Garden to Nikol, Sonini Chali, Sarangpur Bridge to Barcelona Circle and Thakkarbapanagar Char Rasta to Jashodanagar Char Rasta.

The civic body removed 253 lari-gallas, 95 sheds, 368 bamboo-rope-tarpaulin structures and 1,433 miscellaneous items. It also removed 839 advertising boards, banners and hoardings.

A total of 651 vehicles were locked and 651 were fined, with Rs 2.47 lakh collected. The Central Zone operation covered Jamalpur Fruit Market, Jamalpur Shak Market, Kalupur Shak Market, Kalupur Fruit Market, Dariyapur Darwaja, Gabha Bazaar, Namaste Circle and Bhadra.

Here, 279 lari-gallas and 114 sheds were removed, along with 399 bamboo-rope-tarpaulin structures and 1,523 miscellaneous items. A further 700 advertising boards, banners and hoardings were removed.

The zone locked and fined 321 vehicles each and collected Rs 3.13 lakh in penalties. In the North Zone, action was taken from Memco to Kubernagar, Hirawadi BRTS to Thakkarbapanagar, Machhli Circle towards Adishwarnagar, Mini Kankaria to Naroda village, Selby Hospital to New Naroda, St Mary’s School via Bhavani Chowk to New Naroda and Bapunagar approach to Chamundanagar.

The operation removed 179 lari-gallas, 59 sheds, 313 bamboo-rope-tarpaulin structures and 1,086 miscellaneous items. It also removed 474 advertising boards, banners and hoardings.

A total of 175 vehicles were locked and 177 fined, with Rs 1.75 lakh collected. In the South Zone, the drive covered Piplaj-Pirana Road, Piplaj to Saijpur, Rohitvas to Saijpur, P.D. Pandya College Road, Govindwadi, Pushpak Bungalows Canal Road, Isanpur to Geetamandir Road, Isanpur to Ghodasar Canal Road, Hatkeshwar Cross Road and C.T.M. Cross Road, among other areas.

The zone removed 170 lari-gallas, 59 sheds, 273 bamboo-rope-tarpaulin structures and 984 miscellaneous items. It also removed 309 advertising boards, banners and hoardings.

A total of 234 vehicles were locked and fined, while Rs 2.09 lakh was collected in penalties. Overall, the 24-day drive resulted in 2,309 vehicles being locked and 2,340 vehicles being fined.

The AMC said a total of Rs 15.24 lakh was collected in fines during the period.

–IANS

mys/skp