The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) issued a 7-day notice to approximately 3,000 families living in various BSUP (Basic Services for Urban Poor) housing schemes in the Vatva area between June 10, 2025, and June 13, 2025, demanding that their houses be vacated within 7 days. The grounds for the notices were stated to be in a “dilapidated” condition.
These families had previously been evicted from central areas of Ahmedabad between 2008 and 2015 in the name of the Riverfront Project, BRTS Project, and other development projects and rehabilitated here.
To date, these BSUP schemes have not provided basic amenities such as drinking water, sewage, health, and education.
Collective Response and Written Response:
On June 17, 2025, residents of the affected areas of Vatva –
Vasant Gajendra Gadkar Nagar
Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Nagar
Kushabhau Thackeray Nagar
Railway Side Housing Scheme
peacefully appeared in person at the AMC South Zone office in Maninagar and submitted over 3,000 written responses.
Administrative Dialogue and Response:
A delegation led by Advocate Shamshad Pathan, Advocate Imtiyazkhan Pathan and Sarif Malek met with Mr. Kevin Kapadia, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of the AMC, to present a copy of these responses and elaborate on the issue.
➡️ The following key points were presented in this dialogue:
- These resettlement colonies were built by the AMC and the state government itself.
- Employing notices to vacate houses is contrary to the rehabilitation policy.
- Declaring a property “dilapidated” without conducting a survey is unjustified.
- The process of re-displacing rehabilitated residents is inhumane.
AMC’s Response and Assurances:
After hearing the entire situation, Assistant Municipal Commissioner Mr. Kevin Kapadia gave the following assurances:
✅ The AMC will conduct a re-survey of these colonies.
✅ Houses found to be in a truly dilapidated condition will be issued notices for repairs instead of being evicted.
✅ Residents will be given adequate time and alternative arrangements will be considered.
This movement and dialogue is an important example of how even poor citizens can demand their rights and a dignified life in an organized, peaceful, and constitutional manner.
When voices rise together, the administration is bound to listen.
Contact:
Advocate Shamshad Pathan
Advocate Imtiyazkhan Pathan
