AHMEDABAD: The demolition drive to rid the city’s roads of encroachments entered the World Heritage City precinct of Ahmedabad’s Walled City for the first time, on Wednesday. This is a significant mission because the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) had indicated in its heritage management plan submitted to Unesco that it will clear encroachments while ensuring that traditional bazaars are not affected. On Wednesday, when the drive swept across the famous non-vegetarian eatery lane of Bhatiyar Gali at Bhadra Plaza, the AMC made sure that it demolished only illegal extensions made by the eateries. “It is here that the bhatiyaras or cooks made the famous fantoosh pulao, a royal dish that has survived for over 600 years, according to local legends,” a senior official of the AMC’s central zone said.
A few AMC officials said that they were expecting some trouble and had called for adequate police presence in the area. In the past, officials on routine checks have been manhandled here.
On Wednesday morning, a team of AMC officials accompanied by senior police officers began carrying out demolitions. The AMC had issued several notices to the residents and shopkeepers, some of whom had volunarily removed encroachments on Monday.
Mohammed Hussain, a local leader in the area, said: “Apart from the AMC, the Karanj police station had given notices to shopkeepers to remove encroachments from Bhatiyar Gali, Biscuit Gali, Teen Darwaza area, and Bhadra Plaza area.” He said that the residents had decided that since the corporation had been directed by the high court, shopkeepers will cooperate with officials.
Siraj Shaikh, a resident of the area, said that all the raised plinths were demolished. These illegally built plinths were used by some vendors to station their handcarts in the evening. In the morning, the plinths became platforms to sell fish and prawns. Sajid Mohammed, another resident of the area, said: “The team of officials did not use force to remove illegal structures, as the buldings here are very old.” He said that the AMC team gave the residents time to remove structures such as boards that were placed in front of some buildings to keep water out during the monsoon.
The area has 60-odd non-vegetarian eateries and 15 larries, which attract 2,000 people daily. Encroachments were also removed near Teen Darwaza and Jama Masjid; the structures are listed among the Unesco World Heritage sites. The vendors were asked to move out of the area in three to four hours.
Woman vendor dies allegedly from eviction fear
A woman vegetable vendor, Chanthiben, aged around 60, allegedly died of cardiac arrest after she was told that the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) was going to carry an anti-encroachment drive in the Vadaj area of the city and her vegetable cart will be seized. Police sources said that the woman was told by someone that her vegetable cart will be seized by the AMC and she would have to pay hefty fine. After this, she allegedly suffered a heart attack.
2005-06 drive had stoked violence
Demolition of illegal constructions in the Bhatiyar Gully area was carried out after a gap of nearly 13 years. It was last carried out in 2005-06. AMC officials said that the drive in 2005-06 had turned violent and had to be stopped.
A few AMC officials said that they were expecting some trouble and had called for adequate police presence in the area. 
