AMC outsmarts GU in getting ‘street smart’

By Yogesh Avasthi, Ahmedabad Mirror | Aug 29, 2016, http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/ahmedabad/cover-story/AMC-outsmarts-GU-in-getting-street-smart/articleshow/53901392.cms

It was envisioned as a pedestrian path outside Gujarat University — beautified with shrubs and seats where students could sit, relax and chat away, without the fear of being run down by speeding vehicles. It was to be a small knowledge corridor of sorts, with plaques highlighting the achievements of institutes in the vicinity. But Gujarat University's Streetscape project has hit a roadblock. Around Rs 20 lakh spent by GU on the project may go down the drain due to the lethargy and unwillingness of the AMC and the police in taking appropriate action.
Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) had shifted food larris from the stretch outside CEPT and Amdavad ni Gufa to the GUPRL road so that they could develop the main road as a model road. At the time, they had promised GU that it was a temporary arrangement and that the vendors would be shifted out soon. Based on this assurance, the varsity began executing its Rs 30- lakh Streetscape project. However, after spending Rs 20 lakh on developing and beautifying the street up till the LD Engineering College corner, they found out that AMC has washed its hands off its responsibility to shift vendors.

With the project stuck and lakhs already spent on it, GU wrote to the Chief Minister's Office seeking intervention. The CMO even wrote back to GU, asking the concerned authorities to do what was required. However, AMC "disregarded the letter", claiming that GU-PRL road was a private one and therefore not under their jurisdiction, say GU officials. Fed up, GU authorities and officials of LD College of Engineering pleaded with the AMC even urged Gujarat University police station to help them out, but the cops have turned a blind eye.
Mehul Patel, a student of GU, said, "The corridor would be a great place to hang out at with classmates. But I feel that even the vendors should be evacuated to a nearby place. They should not lose out on their livelihood either." GU's Estate Engineer Darshan Solanki said, "The Streetscape project is in limbo for the past six months. We have completed half of the work, but AMC and the cops are not helping us finish it. GU as well as larrigallah association members had made a representation to the CMO and other departments, putting forth their arguments. The CMO even wrote back to us, saying necessary measures may be initiated. We forwarded the letter to the AMC, but they said that the road was not under their jurisdiction."
He said, "AMC wrote to us saying that the road was under GU's jurisdiction and therefore the varsity should necessitate action. We have tried earlier to remove these vendors but the AMC did not support us and GU cops failed to protect us. In fact, when we were in the process of removing the stalls, a vendor called up GU cops and the latter supported them saying they had called first."
On June 27, GU wrote a letter to the police station, seeking protection while it removed the vendors, but received no reply, says Solanki. Dr M N Patel, Vice Chancellor, GU, said, "We wrote to the CMO three months ago. We have even communicated the problems to the AMC and the police department, but have received no support. Due to this, work on the knowledge corridor has come to a halt. Even if we need to evacuate the vendors, we need police protection. But the cops have turned a deaf ear to our problems."

Nilesh Baranda, deputy estate officer (West Zone), said, "When Guruprasad Mohapatra was the municipal commissioner, we had given necessary permissions to the vendors to set up stalls near GU. The GU stretch in question is not part of AMC's town planning scheme." Asked who was responsible to evacuate the vendors, Baranda said, "It is our responsibility to evacuate them. I am not aware of the Knowledge Corridor being constructed by GU. If they tell us, we will shift the vendors somewhere else."

Asked about AMC's response to the CMO letter sent to GU, he said, "Someone else must have taken a call on the letter when I was on leave." Gujarat University Police Inspector GS Baria said, "GU had sought help from us to evacuate the vendors. We are ready. Whenever they need the bandobast, they can contact us."