Trump’s visit: Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation asks hundreds of slum dwellers to vacate within 24 hours

Days before US President Donald Trump’s visit to India, BJP-ruled Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has issued an eviction notice to 45 families of slum dwellers living near Sardar Vallabhai Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Bearing the date February 11, the eviction notice was issued only on Monday, setting Tuesday as the deadline for compliance, practically giving just one day to the hundreds of slum dwellers to vacate the place, contradicting the original deadline set by the municipality officials.

Issued in Gujarati, the eviction notice gave seven days for the eviction; however, it was served only at the eleventh hour before the deadline ends.

The notice says that the “encroached” piece of land belonged to the civic body and was part of a town planning scheme.

Most of the slum dwellers who had been living in the vicinity for decades do menial jobs for their survival.

One of them, a 35-year-old construction worker, Meda told the media, “The AMC officials who came to serve the notices asked us to vacate as soon as possible. They told us that the head of the United States is visiting Motera stadium and they wanted us to move out.”

“All of us are construction workers, registered with Majur Adhikar Manch and on an average, we earn ₹300 daily,” Meda was quoted as saying.

Mukesh Bambaniya, who also hails from Dahod said, “We came to Ahmedabad looking for a better life. Now that we have been asked to leave, what will happen to our children?” The 34-year-old has four children, two of whom study in a nearby school.

“These slum-dwellers had encroached upon land under one of the town planning schemes and hence were served notices. There are some elements who are trying to take advantage of the event,” said Assistant TDO (Motera) at the Usmanpura office of AMC, Kishore Varna, signed the notices.

The BJP-ruled civic body is also constructing a wall along the road connecting the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport to Indira Bridge, in order to cover the slum.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be hosting United States President Donald Trump at an event at the stadium on February 23. Trump is scheduled to fly for Delhi the same night.