Large-Scale Encroachment Removal Conducted For Viramgam-Surendranagar Four-Lane Project
Nearly 4,000 sq metres cleared to facilitate highway widening and improve regional connectivity.
A large-scale encroachment removal and demolition drive was carried out in Viramgam town of Gujarat’s Ahmedabad district on Monday as authorities moved forward with the widening of State Highway No. 17 under the Viramgam-Surendranagar-Wadhwan four-lane road project. The operation targeted structures and encroachments along a key stretch near Gangasar Lake, an area officials identified as a major traffic bottleneck affecting movement at the entrance to the town.
According to the administration, the drive covered nearly 4,000 square metres of government and privately acquired land along an approximately 400-metre stretch of the highway corridor. Officials said the road widening project is intended to improve traffic flow, enhance regional connectivity and remove long-standing obstructions that have hindered infrastructure development in the area for years.
Sub-Divisional Magistrate Virendra Desai said the action was undertaken after completing all required legal procedures and land acquisition formalities. He stated that the affected land had been acquired through the prescribed process and compensation had been paid to eligible landowners before possession was taken. Authorities noted that the bottleneck area included three dargahs and several other structures that had become obstacles to the planned expansion of the roadway.
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The demolition operation involved extensive manpower and equipment. Officials said three dargahs, five shops and around 100 encroachments linked to cemetery land were removed during the exercise. To facilitate the clearance work, authorities deployed five JCB machines, two Hitachi excavators and 15 dumpers. The scale of the operation reflected the significance of the highway project and the challenges involved in clearing the congested stretch.
Security arrangements were strengthened to ensure the drive proceeded without disruption. More than 550 police personnel were deployed, including senior officers, local police units, the State Reserve Police, the Crime Branch and the Special Operations Group. Deputy Superintendent of Police Tapan Kumar Dodiya said the objective was to eliminate a long-standing obstruction and facilitate the widening of the important road link connecting Viramgam with surrounding areas.
Ahmedabad Rural Superintendent of Police Om Prakash Jat said the administration and law enforcement agencies had spent several months planning the operation and conducting consultations with community representatives and local stakeholders. Officials stated that the demolition was completed peacefully and in accordance with legal requirements. The clearance is expected to pave the way for faster implementation of the highway widening project, which aims to improve transportation infrastructure and ease traffic congestion in the region.
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