Mr. Modi at the time of inauguration of SRDP in April 2003 had promised the people of Ahmedabad that the project would be completed in 1,000 days. However, the deadline is unlikely to be kept and the project may be extended by two years, sources said. The main obstacle in the project is relocation of thousands of slum dwellers living along the riverbank. The Gujarat high court had taken 'suo motu cognisance of the issue and issued notices to the AMC and the state government, asking the authorities to give detailed account of the arrangements made for the project affected slum dwellers.
Sources in the AMC said Mr. Modi has asked the AMC officials to prepare a detailed relocation plan at the earliest. Sources further said AMC will soon start the confirmatory survey of number of slum dwellers who will be affected by the project and submit a detailed report of their relocation to the high court, for approval, within one month. Earlier, a primary survey had been carried out in this connection. Deputy municipal commissioner Dileepkumar Mahajan said eviction of slum dwellers is not required in the first phase of the project, the work on which is currently on. In the second phase of the project, slum dwellers will be shifted to an alternative site, after approval from the high court.
|
