Ghatlodia man stages sit-in protest at AMC office after delay in building restoration approval

Ahemdabad: A man from Ghatlodia shifted to the AMC office in the Bodakdev area with his cot and mattress to stage a sit-in protest after not receiving approval for building restoration for the past six months. The individual, named Amit Panchal, was joined by his 74-year-old father and 16-year-old son. This novel form of protest led to a four-hour standoff, after which the family was assured that their concerns would be addressed within four to five days.

It has been learned that the delay in the building proposal is allegedly due to political issues. Panchal, who attempted to enter politics in 2021 with the Aam Aadmi Party, believes this caused bureaucratic hurdles. Residing in Ghatlodia’s Devmandir Co-operative Society, Panchal explained, “Our engineer deemed the building unsafe, prompting renovation plans.” Submitted online in July 2023, bureaucratic delays ensued, including a missing signature and plan discrepancies.

Panchal also stated that even though redevelopment with similar discrepancies was approved for two other houses.