Should No Resident Face Hardships Due to Civic Shortcomings in Gujarat?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Urgent meeting held to address infrastructure concerns.
- Minister Harsh Sanghavi emphasizes prompt action.
- Gandhinagar's drainage system is undergoing major upgrades.
- Funding secured for wastewater management improvements.
- Public representatives actively voicing community concerns.
Gandhinagar, July 22 (NationPress) Following the directives from Union Home Minister and Gandhinagar MP Amit Shah, an urgent high-level review meeting was convened on Tuesday under the leadership of Minister of State for Home and District In-Charge Minister Harsh Sanghavi to evaluate the status of ongoing road and drainage projects in Gandhinagar city.
In light of serious complaints from residents regarding incomplete infrastructure projects, Amit Shah previously directed senior officials from various departments to implement prompt and effective solutions.
Responding to these instructions, Minister Sanghavi called together key stakeholders at the state secretariat to assess the situation and devise an action plan focused on reducing inconvenience for citizens.
During this meeting, Minister Sanghavi issued firm directives to senior officials to create a detailed and timely strategy to tackle issues related to damaged roads, pending drainage connections, and disruptions in older sectors.
He strongly emphasized that no resident should endure difficulties due to civic inadequacies and urged for immediate and effective actions.
Also in attendance were Gandhinagar Mayor Meena Patel, Standing Committee Chairman Gaurang Vyas, MLAs Ritaben Patel and Alpesh Thakor, along with other public representatives who highlighted specific concerns voiced by the city's residents. Minister Sanghavi reassured them of prompt and decisive action.
Senior bureaucrats such as Avantika Singh (Additional Principal Secretary to the CM), Dheeraj Parekh (Officer on Special Duty to the CM), Shahmeena Hussain (Principal Secretary, Water Supply), M. Thennarasan (Principal Secretary, Urban Development), P.R. Patelia (Secretary, Roads & Buildings), along with the Gandhinagar Collector, District Police Chief, and heads of relevant municipal departments, also participated in the meeting.
Gandhinagar's urban infrastructure is currently undergoing considerable enhancements, with its 430 km underground drainage system spanning Sectors 1 to 30 being systematically upgraded as part of the Smart City initiative; this responsibility has recently transitioned to the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation (GMC) for ongoing maintenance and operations.
Additionally, Rs 606.34 crore was allocated in April 2025 under the Swarnim Jayanti Urban Development Scheme for wastewater management, upgrades to the overloaded Jaspur Sewage Treatment Plant, improvements to the Sargasan - Jaspur main drain, and enhancements to stormwater infrastructure, addressing a significant increase in drainage flow—from 60 MLD previously to approximately 109 MLD currently—far surpassing the plant’s 76 MLD capacity.