The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has served evictionnotices to 45 families living in a slum area near the Sardar Vallabhai PatelStadium. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host United States President DonaldTrump at an event at the stadium later this month.
While the residents alleged that they have been asked toevict because of this upcoming event, the civic body has denied it.
Trump will visit Ahmedabad and New Delhi on February 24 and25. Modi and Trump will hold a roadshow in Ahmedabad. The Ahmedabad MunicipalCorporation is also erecting a wall along the road connecting the SardarVallabhbhai Patel International Airport to Indira Bridge, allegedly to mask aslum in the city. About 1.25 lakh people are expected to attend the event atthe Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium.
"The AMC officials who came to serve the notices asked us tovacate as soon as possible," a 35-year-old construction worker, Teja Meda, toldthe newspaper. Meda claimed to have been living in the slum for 22 years. "Theytold us that the head of the United States is visiting Motera stadium and theywanted us to move out."
Meda alleged that the authorities told them not to go to work on Monday as they had to be present to be served the notices. "All of us are construction workers, registered with Majur Adhikar Manch and on average, we earn Rs 300 daily," Meda said.
About 65 families live nearly 1.5 km from the stadium. Of these 45 families, consisting of about 200 people were served the notices by the civic body's Estate and Town Development Department. The notice says that the "encroached" land belonged to the civic body and was part of a town planning scheme. It asked the slum dwellers to evict in seven days. Though the notice was issued on Monday, it was dated February 11, according to which the deadline is Tuesday.
