Gujarat : AMC, Police Launch Mega Drive at ‘Mini Bangladesh’

Ahmedabad, Gujarat – In a sweeping action that marks one of the largest demolition operations in Gujarat’s history, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and city police launched a joint crackdown on illegal settlements in the Chandola Lake area, known locally as “Mini Bangladesh.” This move came after the Gujarat High Court on Tuesday rejected a petition seeking an urgent stay on the demolition.

The petitioners had argued that the demolition violated legal procedures, claiming that the residents had not been proven to be illegal Bangladeshis and had not received any prior notice or rehabilitation support. They further asserted that only the Foreigners Tribunal has the authority to determine the legality of foreign nationals residing in India. However, the High Court dismissed these concerns, giving a green signal for the removal of encroachments.

Early Tuesday morning, nearly 50 JCB machines and dozens of trucks moved into the area under heavy police protection. By 5:30 AM, demolition crews began razing hundreds of illegal houses, farmhouses, and huts allegedly built over encroached government land in the Chhota Chandola Lake zone. The section, approximately one kilometer long, had been under illegal occupation for years and is part of the larger Chandola Lake ecosystem.

Police and AMC officials claim that the area was occupied under the influence of a local accused named Lalla Bihari, who is said to have dumped debris into the lake to reclaim land and sell or rent it to alleged Bangladeshi immigrants. Daily, 30 to 40 tractors of debris were allegedly dumped into the lake to facilitate this illegal expansion.

Historically significant, Chandola Lake was built during the Mughal era and spans nearly 1,200 hectares. Mahatma Gandhi is believed to have stayed under a peepal tree on its banks during the Dandi March in 1930. In recent decades, however, slums sprouted around the lake, with unauthorized settlements spread across various “wards” such as A, B, G, F, I, D, and the areas known as Bengalivas and Nilgiri Na Chhapara.

The demolition drive comes amid rising national sentiment following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which has intensified crackdowns on suspected illegal activities and settlements. Authorities have so far remained tight-lipped about how long the operation will continue, but insiders suggest it may take several days to clear the area completely.

Karelibaug PI H.M. Vyas stated, “The demolition is being carried out following due legal process, as per the Gujarat High Court’s directive. We are taking every step to maintain law and order during the operation.”

Bharat Parmar, Deputy Municipal Commissioner of the South Zone of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, said that 50 percent of the demolition of illegal structures has been completed. We cannot give an estimate of how many structures have been demolished at the moment. But there are about 1500 to 2000 huts, of which 50 to 60 percent of the work has been completed.

Teams from the estate department of 7 zones along with the police system have joined the demolition. The structures were old for years. Illegal structures were built in the lakes, which are being demolished. Illegal structures had been built for years, regarding which the government and the municipal corporation system did not take action, the police officer stopped the press when asked why.