Ahmedabad water tank security came under scrutiny at a municipal coordination committee meeting after a human skull and bones were reportedly found inside a water tank at the Asarwa Water Distribution Centre. Ellisbridge MLA Amit Shah called for tighter protection at civic water facilities, trained operators for pump systems and a review of the current contract-based operating arrangement.
According to Gujarat Samachar – Ahmedabad, Shah said security guards at municipal water tanks should be replaced or supplemented by ex-servicemen. He also sought qualified personnel, including ITI-trained tunnel fitters, to operate and maintain pumps and other equipment at the facilities.
The MLA claimed that none of the water tanks operated under contract had ITI-qualified tunnel fitters. He further alleged that, at some locations, people running tea stalls or outsiders were switching pumps on and off. These claims were made during the coordination meeting and were not independently verified in the supplied report.
The concerns follow the reported discovery at Asarwa and focus on both physical access and operational responsibility at civic water infrastructure. The report states that the operation and maintenance of several municipal tanks has been assigned through contracts. The meeting also raised the need to examine whether personnel managing these installations have the required technical qualifications.
The meeting, held at Riverfront House, also considered the design of the Makrba Bridge. Shah reportedly objected that the completed bridge descends onto a four-way junction, creating difficulties for traffic planning. He proposed that the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation establish a dedicated design cell for bridge and housing projects so that surrounding junctions and traffic movement are assessed before construction begins.
The proposed design unit would be responsible for improving project planning and reducing difficulties that emerge after construction, according to the report. Shah said bridge designs should account for the surrounding road network and junction configuration rather than treating the structure as an isolated project.
Staffing at the corporation was another issue raised at the meeting. Shah said 77 Class-I officers were working in charge arrangements and sought permanent appointments against vacant posts. He also referred to superintendent positions in civic hospitals that, according to him, had remained under temporary charge for years. The demand was linked to improving the delivery of municipal health services.
Vejalpur MLA Amit Thaker raised drainage and local infrastructure concerns in his constituency. He sought a dedicated stormwater line to address waterlogging and referred to ongoing work from But Bhavani through Shreyas Complex to Makrba. He also proposed additional lines around Shivranjani, behind Parth School, near Jivraj crossroads and along Sonal Road near Rajwadu Hotel.
Thaker further sought pumping and booster stations, along with new roads and gardens in the area. The coordination committee’s next steps on the water-tank security proposals, bridge design review, staff appointments and stormwater works were not specified in the supplied report.
