01 June,2026 12:57 PM IST | Ahmedabad | mid-day online correspondent
The operation covered nearly 4,000 square metres of government and private land along a 400-metre stretch near Gangasar Lake. Representational Pic/File
A massive demolition drive was launched in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, officials said on Monday, adding that around 4,000 sq metres of land was cleared for highway project, reported the IANS.
The large-scale demolition and encroachment removal drive in Viramgam town of Gujarat's Ahmedabad district as part of the Viramgam-Surendranagar-Wadhwan four-lane road project, they said.
The operation covered nearly 4,000 square metres of government and private land along a 400-metre stretch near Gangasar Lake.
Officials said the area had become a major traffic bottleneck, affecting connectivity at the entrance to Viramgam town.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate Virendra Desai said the action was taken after completing all legal formalities and land acquisition procedures, as per the PTI.
According to officials, the land was privately owned and had been acquired under the prescribed land acquisition process, with compensation provided to eligible landowners before possession was taken.
Desai said the stretch included three dargahs and several other encroachments that had obstructed the planned road widening work.
The officials said the demolition drive involved the removal of three dargahs, five shops and around 100 encroachments linked to cemetery land.
Heavy machinery, including five JCB machines, two Hitachi excavators and 15 dumpers, was deployed to clear the site and facilitate the widening of State Highway No. 17, the news agency reported.
A strong security presence was maintained throughout the operation to ensure law and order.
More than 550 police personnel were deployed at the site, including one Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP), 15 Police Inspectors, teams from various police stations, and personnel from the State Reserve Police, Crime Branch and Special Operations Group.
Officials said the demolition was completed peacefully without any untoward incidents.
Deputy SP Tapan Kumar Dodiya said the operation was aimed at removing a long-standing obstacle to the road widening project.
Ahmedabad Rural Superintendent of Police Om Prakash Jat said the administration had been planning the operation for several months, holding multiple meetings with government officials, police authorities and community representatives before carrying out the drive, the news agency reported.
He added that extensive consultations were conducted with local stakeholders and all legal procedures were completed before the demolition began.
Officials said the land clearance will help improve traffic flow and regional connectivity by removing a historic bottleneck at Viramgam's entry point.
The operation follows a similar encroachment removal drive conducted in the Dhandhuka area of Ahmedabad district in April, where authorities cleared illegal structures along the Dhandhuka-Bagodara Highway as part of ongoing enforcement efforts, reported the IANS.
(with IANS inputs)
