AMC panel: Free BRTS lanes of encroachments or remove them

Ahmedabad: Across various road stretches in Ahmedabad, BRTS corridors remain encroached upon, leaving little space for commuters to drive and playing havoc with traffic movement. The issue was raised during the zero hour discussion of the standing committee meeting of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC).

Standing committee representatives have submitted that either an aggressive drive be undertaken to deter encroachments and parking within the corridors or — if the corridors remain unused — to remove them altogether.

Talking to TOI, Amul Bhatt, the chairman of the standing committee, said: “We have identified two road stretches in particular that are not operational — from Gitamandir bus stop to Shah-e-Alam toll naka and another from Shah-e-Alam toll naka to Ambedkar Bridge.” Bhatt went on to say: “Whatever the hurdles, the encroachments must be removed so that the BRTS corridors become functional again.”

Well-placed sources in the civic body confirmed that a similar issue has cropped up in areas such as Behrampura and Jamalpur, among others, where the BRTS corridors are encroached upon by roadside vendors and are also used as parking spaces.

A source privy to the discussions said: “This is an administrative issue and a representation has been made to the municipal commissioner to initiate further action.” Questions sent to Ahmedabad municipal commissioner Vijay Nehra did not elicit a response.