VMC to shift night shelters after protests

The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has decided to change locations of a few of its under-construction night shelters and build anaganwadis and community halls instead.

The Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has decided to change locations of a few of its under-construction night shelters and build anaganwadis and community halls instead. The decision came after local residents voiced strong opposition saying the night shelters in their area would cause nuisance.

The VMC has decided to change locations of four night shelters in Nizampura,Sama and Harni to Vadsar and Vishwamitri railway overbrides.

However,the civic body will turn the under-construction buildings into angadwadis and community halls.

Story continues below this ad

Following the direction of the Supreme Court in 2011,the VMC had started night shelters in its community halls and ward offices in various parts of the city as ad hoc arrangement to provide night-stay facilities to homeless. It also started construction on 14 night shelters under Central government-sponsored Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) in December last year. MV Omni Project (India) Ltd,an Ahmedabad-based firm,was awarded contract of constructing these shelters at the cost of Rs 4.66 crore.

Out of the 14 shelters,two were being built in Nizampura and one each in Sama and Harni. However,residents of these areas protested against such facilities coming up in their areas saying they would cause nuisance. Subsequently,work on the four shelters was halted in December and January.

Now,the JNNURM Cell of the civic body has decided to shift the four shelters to Vadsar and Vishwamitri railway overbrides.

On the suitability of railway overbrides for building night shelters,Executive Engineer of JNNURM projects,Fatehsinh Charpot,said,In Ahmedabad,three night shelters are under railway overbrides and bridges are the places where homeless and footpath dwellers generally seek refuse at night.

Story continues below this ad

Charpot agreed that residents of Nizampura,Sama and Harni may protest against proposal to construct anganwadis and community halls as well but expressed confidence the civic body would be able to convince them.

We shall explain them that anganwadis are important for their children while any family may require a place like community hall some day or the other. So,these facilities would be for their good, Charpot added.

The JNNURM Cell has forwarded a proposal to standing committee of civic body to approve the changes in the location and construction of anganwadis and community halls. The committee is likely to decide the matter at its weekly meeting scheduled on Saturday.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram