Rajkot (Gujarat), February 25 More than 1,400 houses were demolished during the two-day mega demolition drive in the Rajkot city, and land worth more than Rs 350 crore was cleared, an official said on Wednesday.
Among the demolished structures, there were more than 200 houses that resembled bungalows, said municipal commissioner Tushar Sumera.
"The operation began at 7:30 am on Monday and concluded in the evening on Tuesday. A total of 1489 houses in the Jangleshwar area were removed," Sumera said.
On the TP Road, 497 illegal structures were removed, freeing up 33,750 sq mt of land, while 992 illegal structures were demolished along the banks of the Aji river, freeing up 55,000 sq mt of land.
The operation involved 1,512 municipal employees and 261 vehicles, including earth excavators and tractors, the official said.
The settlement along the river was prone to flooding during monsoon rains, leading to rescue operations, and on some occasions, even the rescuers themselves had to be rescued due to dangerous conditions. In 2024, 1,378 people were relocated to safer locations, Sumera added.
"It's a relief that after this demolition, there will be no loss of lives due to floods, and the area will get better roads, which will facilitate easy access for ambulances and fire, police vehicles in the area," said Sumera.
Of the demolished houses, only 500 were concrete houses without a concrete slab. More than 250 houses were of the same size, with doors arranged in rows of 30 to 50, he said.
More than 200 houses were "palatial bungalows" with air conditioners, standing on plots of land ranging from 50 to 100 sq mt, the official added.
Over 750 houses were valued at more than Rs 5 lakh each, and some 250 houses were bungalows worth over Rs 15-20 lakh each.
The demolitions were not limited to shanties; other, larger structures were also removed, the commissioner said.
