300 encroached structures including Madrasa razed in Vadodara

Vadodara

Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) today completed an anti encroachment demolition drive in communally sensitive Fatepura road area of the old city where around 300 structures including a Madrasa built unlawfully were razed for the broadening of a narrow road.

The demolition, a part of a mega anti encroachment drive by the VMC to improve the urban mobility in the one of the four major cities of Gujarat, went off peacefully. Though earlier this week on May 31, a mob went on rampage when the corporation team escorted by police had gone to remove the encroachment from nearby Sulemani Chali area of the old city. Over half a dozen vehicles of policemen and a police post were burnt down.

VMC Municipal Commissioner H S Patel today said that the demolition of around 300 structure between Fatepura to Thekarnath temple was completed today. ‘Most of the structures including the Madrasa Talimul Islam were vacated by people at their own. Many of these were trimmed by the locals themselves. We virtually completed the remaining trimming exercise today to make an 18 meter wide road. It all went off quite peacefully,’ he said adding that the drive would now be taken to other areas of the city.

24 JCB machines, 3 bulldozers, 2 earth digging Hitachi machines, 20 slab cutters and 50 dumpers were deployed for the demolition drive in the area.

The areas like the one form where the encroachment was removed today and the Sulemani Chali, both mostly inhabited by minority community was a bone of contention between the VMC and the encrochers since long. The encroachment of over 300 houses was removed from Sulemani Chali also.On that day police had to resort to baton charge and tear gas shelling to control the unruly mob.

– DeshGujarat