Ahmedabad: In the final meeting before the end of the current elected wing’s five-year term, the standing committee of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) on Thursday approved development works worth around Rs 2,500 crore, accounting for nearly 25% of the civic body’s annual budgeted works.The term of the present elected body will conclude on March 10, and the committee cleared a series of infrastructure and urban development proposals covering roads, bridges, drainage, water supply, civic facilities and urban beautification.Standing committee chairman Devang Dani said that projects approved in the meeting include road works worth Rs 600 crore, along with several drainage and water infrastructure projects aimed at accelerating the city’s development. “With the upcoming Commonwealth Games in 2030, key infrastructure projects have been approved to ensure quality development at a faster pace,” he said.Among the major projects cleared was the development of Lotus Park in South Bopal, at an estimated Rs 115 crore. The committee also approved Rs 250 crore for the development and maintenance of public buildings, heritage structures and temples, including works related to Gujarat University and LD Engineering College.The meeting also cleared the modernisation of AMC’s CCRS grievance redressal system, which will introduce an AI-based complaint management app allowing citizens to upload photographs before and after civic works are completed.Dani said proposals were also cleared for the development of 25 additional traffic junctions, along with civic infrastructure such as community halls, urban health centres, bridges and footpaths across several city wards.However, Leader of Opposition Shehzad Khan Pathan criticised the approvals, alleging that projects worth crores were cleared in haste just days before the elected body’s term ends. “The hurried approvals raise suspicion and appear to benefit contractors,” he said.
