Rajkot demolition drive: 455 illegal structures razed, 1,000 more targeted

In what officials are calling the most extensive anti-encroachment drive in the city’s history, the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) on Monday rolled out a massive demolition operation to clear 1,489 illegal structures from the Jangleshwar locality and the encroached stretches of the Aji riverbed.

The operation began at daybreak, with civic teams deployed from 7 am and bulldozers roaring into action soon after. Entire neighbourhoods awoke to the sight of heavy machinery, helmeted workers and a formidable security presence as authorities moved to reclaim an estimated 87,000 square metres of land — 55,000 square metres along the riverbed and 32,000 square metres under the town planning (TP) road scheme.

To streamline the mammoth exercise, the RMC divided the affected area into seven operational zones, each overseen by a Class-1 officer, while four City Engineers took charge of field teams. Municipal commissioner Tushar Sumera monitored the operation from a specially set up control room, receiving real-time updates from all zones to ensure coordination, safety and adherence to procedure.

On the ground, more than 1,130 municipal personnel — clad in protective aprons and helmets — worked in synchronised teams. The scale of machinery deployed underscored the magnitude of the drive: 84 JCB machines, 84 tractors, seven Hitachi excavators, 50 tractor-mounted breakers, 42 gas cutters and 14 dumpers formed part of a fleet of over 260 vehicles and heavy equipment.

Security arrangements were equally formidable. Rajkot police commissioner Brajesh Kumar Jha said that by 10 am, 455 of the nearly 1,500 identified structures had already been razed. “We are maintaining strict vigilance to ensure the process proceeds peacefully and strictly in accordance with the law,” he said.

Section 163 has been imposed in the area to prevent disturbances, with nearly 3,000 security personnel — including city police, the Rapid Action Force and state home guards — deployed to maintain order. Drone surveillance is monitoring the operation from above, while private drone flying has been prohibited between 23 and 25 February. Restrictions on the assembly of more than four persons will remain in force until 26 February, and authorities have warned of immediate action in the event of stone-pelting or obstruction.

Explaining the rationale behind the sweeping action, commissioner Jha cited persistent illegal constructions along the riverbank, violations of the town planning scheme and the presence of individuals with serious criminal records in the locality. Police data reveal a troubling pattern over the past decade: 276 liquor-related cases, 65 gambling cases, four murders, three attempted murders and the seizure of 61 illegal weapons.

Officials said that more than 1,000 households vacated the area voluntarily ahead of the demolition, including around 225 families who moved out by Sunday evening, in anticipation of the drive.

The large-scale clearance, expected to continue for approximately three days, marks a decisive push by civic authorities to reclaim public land, enforce urban planning norms and restore order in a locality long mired in legal and law-and-order challenges.

With IANS inputs