Union Home Affairs and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah distributes land ownership certificates to rehabilitated residents of Nava Vanzar village in Gujarat on 28 December 2025. Photo: X/@AmitShah
Five decades after families displaced by the 1973 Sabarmati floods lost their homes and land, the long-pending ownership issue was resolved on Sunday (December 28, 2025) when Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah distributed land ownership certificates to rehabilitated residents of Nava Vanzar village and launched a series of civic projects worth ₹30 crore.
Organized by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation in Gandhinagar in the presence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the program also marked the launch of the Western Trunk Main Line project, a major drainage initiative aimed at addressing chronic sewage and sewage problems in the western and southwestern parts of the city.
Describing the event as “small but hugely important”, Mr Shah said citizens who lost everything in the 1973 floods finally got legal ownership of their land after 50 years. “In a big city like Ahmedabad, 173 recipients may seem like a small number, but for them this moment is historic and deeply emotional,” he said.
Mr. Shah said the solution to the five-decade-old problem reflects a model of responsive governance. He noted that the nearly 15,000 residents of west and south-west Ahmedabad have long struggled with the absence of a proper sewage system despite rapid urbanization taking place in areas from Shela to Chandkhed between 2000 and 2005.
“At times sewage was seen overflowing on the streets. Solving this problem required not only time but also massive financial resources,” he said, adding that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, programs like the AMRUT Yojana were effectively used to improve living conditions in cities.
As part of the drainage project, reinforced concrete pipes ranging from 1,200 mm to 1,800 mm in diameter were laid at an estimated cost of about ₹400 million. The project is expected to provide a permanent solution to drainage and sewage problems in areas including Gota, Chandlodia, Science City, South Bopal, Bhadaj, Hebatpur, Thaltej, Bopal-Ghuma, Bodakdev, Vejalpur, Sarkhej, Maktampura, Mahmadpura, Fatehwadi, Shantipura and Sanathal.
Mr. Shah said the decades-old demands were being addressed through what he described as a development model focused on solving the problems of the citizens regardless of political considerations.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said that 2025 has turned out to be a year of rapid development and global recognition for Ahmedabad. He said the state government under the leadership of the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister was working to ensure access to basic amenities and improve the overall quality of life of the residents.
Highlighting the expansion of green cover in Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency through initiatives like Miyawaki forests and oxygen parks, he said the sanads issued to the people of Vanzar village symbolized a government rooted in empathy. He added that the urban development budget has been increased by 40% to ₹30,000 crore and that 2025 has been observed as the year of urban development.
With Ahmedabad set to host several international sporting events, the Chief Minister appealed to citizens to contribute towards making the city cleaner, greener and more livable.
Published – 28 Dec 2025 19:52 IST
