Did Ahmedabad Civic Body Really Demolish a Structure Linked to a Notorious Criminal?

Ahmedabad, June 11 (NationPress) The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has taken decisive action by demolishing an unauthorised structure known as Zubeda House, which was reportedly erected on encroached government land by notorious criminal Nazeer Vora, officials confirmed.

The demolition occurred on Tuesday amidst a significant police presence in the Juhapura area to ensure public order was maintained.

Officials stated that this structure occupied around 20,000 square feet of valuable government land adjacent to the Juhapura main road.

Vora had transformed the area into an extravagant farmhouse, complete with children's play areas and facilities that were commonly utilized for weddings and festive gatherings, effectively turning public land into a private commercial venture.

"This property was unlawfully used for rental events for years, despite being designated as public land," commented a senior civic official, emphasizing the commercial misuse of the encroached space.

Zubeda House, noted as a local landmark due to its prominent location, had become emblematic of unregulated encroachment.

Authorities revealed that Vora had earlier constructed a two-storey shopping complex opposite the farmhouse, which was demolished in a previous operation.

Vora, who is well-known within the city's criminal underworld, has over 29 serious cases filed against him, including murder, attempted murder, extortion, kidnapping, and land grabbing.

AMC officials characterized Tuesday's demolition as part of a larger initiative to dismantle illegal structures and combat the influence of land mafias throughout Ahmedabad.

"This serves as a strong and unequivocal message that illegal occupation of public land will not be tolerated, regardless of the individual's influence," stated a senior AMC officer on the condition of anonymity.

Further investigations have been initiated to uncover additional illegal constructions linked to Vora, with more actions anticipated in the upcoming weeks.

In 2025, Ahmedabad experienced a notable increase in demolition initiatives as part of a citywide effort against illegal constructions and land encroachments.

The most substantial and high-profile operation was conducted near Chandola Lake, where the AMC initiated a two-phase demolition campaign.

During the first phase alone, approximately 1.5 lakh square metres of land were cleared, resulting in the demolition of around 4,000 unauthorized structures, including residential homes, warehouses, and shops.

The second phase, executed in May this year, cleared another 2.5 lakh square metres and removed about 8,500 more encroachments, bringing the total number of demolished structures in the Chandola area to over 12,500.

These anti-demolition drives were conducted under stringent police protection and have led to the displacement of thousands of families, many of whom belong to low-income or migrant groups.

While the AMC has proposed housing solutions for residents eligible under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) scheme, numerous affected families have reported receiving minimal to no notice prior to eviction.

Another significant demolition occurred near Malek Saban Lake in Bapunagar, where approximately 450 illegal structures were dismantled over a 15,200 square metre area.

Supported by a team of over 800 municipal and police personnel, the operation was executed swiftly, aimed at reclaiming public land around the water body.

In a similar fashion, in the Akbarnagar area of Bapunagar, more than 400 temporary huts and makeshift homes were demolished in under two hours, following eviction notices issued by AMC officials.