Gujarat govt suspends Himmatnagar Urban Development Authority formation over 11 villages

“The state government had announced to form HUDA in 2012 too, but the plan was suspended following an agitation in 2015,” he said.

“Later, through a notification dated November 11, 2023, the HUDA was announced. A total of 11 villages were to be added to HUDA. Its draft plan was presented on September 7, 2025. After that, farmers of 11 villages launched an agitation,” Utsav added.

He said the protest stemmed from fears that farmers would lose land without compensation.

“After formation of an urban development authority, when a town planning scheme is announced, 40 per cent land is taken away from farmers without giving them any compensation. So that was our main issue,” he said.

Utsav further said the region’s urban dynamics were not comparable to major cities.

“The basis of our protest was that such authorities in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar are different. Lots of people migrate to these cities. Our Himmatnagar is a small city like a village. It is not that people settle here after migration because there is no presence of such industries here for opportunity of business and trade. Despite that, if such a big scheme is being implemented, it could cause the downfall of farmers. And so, we opposed it,” he said.

Following the agitation, the state government formed a four-minister committee. Representatives of the villages and three ministers on the committee — Arjun Modhwadia, Rushikesh Patel and Pradyuman Vaja — held a meeting with Deputy CM Sanghavi on Wednesday.

After the meeting, Sanghavi formally announced the suspension of the HUDA formation.

An official release stated, “After carefully listening to the leaders and villagers who had come to make a representation on HUDA, the state government has suspended the decision to form Himmatnagar Urban Development Authority for now.”