The Indian Express 30.11.2013
VMC demolishes over 250 hutments to build garden
Over 250 hutments, that are part of a slum in Gotri locality, were
demolished on Friday by the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC). The
slums will make way for a public park.
The demolitions that were part of the plan to make the city
slum-free began on Thursday. According to VMC officials, the slum
dwellers living in the hutments were allotted flats last year under the
slum rehabilitation schemes across the city, especially in the Tandalja
area.
Officials also claimed that the slums in the area were being used
by tenants of the owners, and in some cases, the owners were found
living in the slums after renting out their allotted flats. However, the
plot, which is originally reserved for a public swimming pool, may be
converted into a public garden. A proposal to effect the change has been
moved by Municipal Councilor Rajesh Ayare and is pending for VMC’s
approval.
“There is a high-tension wire passing through the area and it is
risky to have a swimming pool there. It would be better to convert the
area into a public garden as there is no green space in the area. I have
requested the VMC to transfer this land into the green belt so that the
garden can be developed accordingly,” said Ayare.
