Ahmedabad: The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has suspended temporary leasing of civic plots across the city after irregularities in allotments came to light, with the standing committee directing officials to frame a fresh policy to regulate the process.The issue was discussed at the standing committee meeting on Thursday after it emerged that, over the past two years, deputy estate officers and deputy municipal commissioners in the corporation’s seven zonal offices had leased plots on a temporary basis without obtaining mandatory approval from the panel.According to civic officials, the existing policy does not clearly define the duration for which plots could be leased temporarily. Taking advantage of this ambiguity, several plots were repeatedly allotted to the same individuals or organisations. In many cases, allottees allegedly demolished compound walls around the plots and even constructed unauthorised shed-like structures.Standing committee chairman Kamlesh Patel said the absence of a clear policy had led to procedural lapses and misuse of civic land. “No temporary plot allotments will be made until a new policy is framed. Officials have been directed to prepare the policy urgently. Once implemented, temporary allotments will be permitted only for religious purposes,” he said.The committee also reviewed several administrative proposals during the meeting. It approved the purchase of new laptops and mobile phones for 192 AMC corporators and other officials.However, a proposal seeking Rs 45 lakh for designing and printing hoardings, banners and invitation cards was withheld. Patel said the work was earlier approved by the municipal commissioner under his financial powers, and the proposal has now been sent back for fresh approval.The committee also discussed rationalising ward-level staff deployment by assigning additional personnel to geographically larger wards. It directed officials to paint newly installed road-divider railings across the city and reviewed monsoon waterlogging hotspots. Following complaints about substandard bricks being used in development work in the Vasna ward, officials were instructed to immediately replace them with standard-quality material.
