The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) on Monday carried out a large-scale demolition drive in the Jamalpur area, removing around 30 illegal shops built on municipal land near Untwali Chali.
The operation, conducted under heavy police security, targeted encroachments allegedly controlled by Bilal Sheikh, a local operator who had been occupying and renting out the shops illegally for over 16 years.
According to AMC officials, Bilal had taken unauthorized possession of the land and was collecting rent from shop owners despite having no legal rights. The corporation plans to continue the drive for the next few days to clear nearly 13,000 square yards of encroached land.
The land, located in the Lati Bazaar locality, was originally leased by AMC to tenants, but the lease expired in 2009. No action was taken at the time to reclaim the property, allowing Bilal to establish and profit from illegal constructions.
Sources said the encroachments persisted for years due to alleged collusion between Bilal and certain civic officials, which allowed the illegal market to flourish unchecked until the latest crackdown.