Five decades after families displaced by the 1973 Sabarmati floods lost their homes and land, the long-pending issue of ownership was resolved on Sunday as Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah distributed land ownership certificates to rehabilitated residents of Nava Vanzar village and inaugurated a series of civic projects worth ₹330 crore in Ahmedabad.
The programme, organised by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation in Gandhinagar in the presence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, also marked the inauguration of the Western Trunk Main Line project, a major drainage initiative aimed at addressing chronic sewage and wastewater problems in the western and south-western parts of the city.
Calling the event “small but extremely important”, Mr. Shah said citizens who lost everything in the 1973 floods had finally received legal ownership of their plots after 50 years. “In a large city like Ahmedabad, 173 beneficiaries may appear to be a small number, but for them this moment is historic and deeply emotional,” he said.
Mr. Shah said the resolution of a five-decade-old problem reflected a model of sensitive governance. He noted that nearly 15 lakh residents of western and south-western Ahmedabad had long faced the absence of a proper sewage system, even as rapid urbanisation took place between 2000 and 2005 in areas stretching from Shela to Chandkheda.
“At times, sewage overflow was visible on the streets. Addressing this required not only time but also massive financial resources,” he said, adding that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, schemes such as the AMRUT Yojana had been effectively utilised to improve urban living conditions.
As part of the drainage project, reinforced cement concrete pipelines with diameters ranging from 1,200 mm to 1,800 mm have been laid at an estimated cost of about ₹400 crore. The project is expected to provide a permanent solution to drainage and wastewater issues in areas including Gota, Chandlodia, Science City, South Bopal, Bhadaj, Hebatpur, Thaltej, Bopal-Ghuma, Bodakdev, Vejalpur, Sarkhej, Maktampura, Mahmadpura, Fatehwadi, Shantipura and Sanathal.
Mr. Shah said decades-old demands were being addressed through what he described as a development model focused on resolving citizens’ problems irrespective of political considerations.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said 2025 had emerged as a year of rapid development and global recognition for Ahmedabad. He said the State government, under the guidance of the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister, was working to ensure access to basic amenities and improve the overall quality of life for residents.
He highlighted the expansion of green cover in the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency through initiatives such as Miyawaki forests and oxygen parks, and said the sanads issued to residents of Vanzar village symbolised governance rooted in empathy. He added that the urban development budget had been increased by 40% to ₹30,000 crore and that 2025 was being observed as the Urban Development Year.
With Ahmedabad set to host several international sporting events, the Chief Minister appealed to citizens to contribute towards making the city cleaner, greener and more liveable.