Ahmedabad AMC clears 1,428 stalls in 24-day anti-encroachment drive, collects ₹15.24 lakh
Synopsis
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation wrapped up one of its most sweeping anti-encroachment drives in recent memory — clearing over 1,428 street stalls, 413 sheds, nearly 3,700 illegal hoardings and collecting ₹15.24 lakh in fines across all seven zones in just 24 days. The Central Zone alone topped ₹3 lakh in penalties, signalling a city-wide push to reclaim public roads.
Key Takeaways
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) ran a 24-day anti-encroachment drive from 1 to 24 September 2026 .
1,428 lari-gallas and 413 sheds were removed across all seven municipal zones .
1,882 bamboo, rope and tarpaulin structures and 3,680 advertising boards and hoardings were also cleared.
2,340 vehicles were fined and 2,309 locked, with ₹15.24 lakh collected in total penalties.
The Central Zone recorded the highest fine collection at ₹3.13 lakh ; the East Zone followed with ₹2.47 lakh .
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) concluded a 24-day anti-encroachment drive across the city on 24 September 2026, removing 1,428 lari-gallas and 413 sheds from public roads and open spaces, while fining 2,340 vehicles and collecting ₹15.24 lakh in penalties, according to an official statement.
Scale of the Drive
The Estate/Town Development Department conducted the operation across all seven municipal zones between 1 September and 24 September, targeting traffic congestion hotspots and encroached public spaces. Civic teams dismantled 1,882 bamboo, rope and tarpaulin structures and cleared 8,479 miscellaneous items. Additionally, 3,680 advertising boards, banners and hoardings installed illegally on public roads were taken down. In total, 2,309 vehicles were locked and 2,340 were fined across all zones.
Zone-by-Zone Breakdown
The Central Zone — covering the Jamalpur Fruit Market, Kalupur Shak Market, Dariyapur Darwaja, Gabha Bazaar and Bhadra — recorded the highest penalty collection at ₹3.13 lakh, with 279 lari-gallas and 114 sheds removed. The East Zone, covering areas including Hastinapur Society, Hatkeshwar Circle Road and the stretch from Sarangpur Bridge to Barcelona Circle, removed 253 lari-gallas and 95 sheds, collecting ₹2.47 lakh.
The North-West Zone — which included roads from Damru Circle in Ghatlodia to the Gujarat High Court complex via Chanakyapuri Road, and stretches towards Thaltej, Gota and Vaishnodevi Circle — removed 222 lari-gallas and 63 sheds and collected ₹2.66 lakh. The South Zone covered roads including Piplaj-Pirana Road, Isanpur to Geetamandir Road and C.T.M. Cross Road, removing 170 lari-gallas and collecting ₹2.09 lakh.
In the West Zone, operations on stretches including Golden Triangle to Stadium Char Rasta and Parimal Garden to the railway line underpass yielded ₹1.25 lakh. The North Zone, which covered the Memco to Kubernagar corridor and surrounding areas, collected ₹1.75 lakh. The South-West Zone — covering Canyug Char Rasta to Shyamal Char Rasta and the Prahladnagar S.G. Highway stretch — collected ₹1.87 lakh.
Why the Drive Was Launched
The AMC framed the operation as a response to persistent traffic congestion and the illegal occupation of pavements and public spaces. Encroachments by street vendors, temporary stalls and unauthorised hoardings have long been cited by commuters and civic planners as contributing to bottlenecks on key arterial roads in Ahmedabad. This drive, spanning all seven zones simultaneously, reflects a more systematic approach compared with earlier localised actions.
What Comes Next
The AMC has not announced a follow-up enforcement schedule, but anti-encroachment actions of this scale are typically followed by periodic monitoring drives to prevent re-encroachment — a recurring challenge in Indian cities. Whether cleared stretches remain free of encroachments will depend on sustained civic vigilance in the weeks ahead.
Point of View
340 vehicles penalised across an entire city over 24 days works out to a modest deterrent per vehicle. The real measure of this drive is not the penalty collected but whether the cleared stretches hold. Anti-encroachment campaigns in Indian cities routinely face re-encroachment within weeks, often because street vendors and traders lack alternative livelihoods or designated vending zones. Without a rehabilitation component or a permanent monitoring mechanism, the AMC risks repeating this exercise season after season with diminishing returns.
NationPress
26 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's anti-encroachment drive achieve?
The AMC removed 1,428 lari-gallas, 413 sheds, 1,882 temporary structures and 3,680 hoardings across all seven city zones between 1 and 24 September 2026. It also fined 2,340 vehicles and collected ₹15.24 lakh in penalties during the 24-day operation.
Which zone collected the most fines during the drive?
The Central Zone, covering markets at Jamalpur, Kalupur and the Bhadra area, collected the highest amount at ₹3.13 lakh. The East Zone was second with ₹2.47 lakh, followed by the North-West Zone at ₹2.66 lakh.
Why did the AMC launch this anti-encroachment drive?
The AMC conducted the drive to address traffic congestion and reclaim encroached public spaces across Ahmedabad. Illegal street stalls, temporary structures and unauthorised hoardings on arterial roads have been cited as major contributors to traffic bottlenecks in the city.
How many vehicles were locked during the Ahmedabad drive?
A total of 2,309 vehicles were locked during the 24-day drive, while 2,340 vehicles were fined. The East Zone and North-West Zone together accounted for a significant share of vehicle penalties.
Will the AMC continue anti-encroachment action after September 2026?
The AMC has not announced a formal follow-up schedule, but civic officials typically conduct periodic monitoring drives to prevent re-encroachment after large-scale clearance operations. The sustainability of the cleared stretches will depend on ongoing enforcement.
