Ahmedabad water tank security came under scrutiny at a civic coordination committee meeting after a human skull and bones were found inside a tank at the Asarwa Water Distribution Centre. The Ellisbridge MLA called for stronger security at municipal water tanks and demanded that ex-servicemen and qualified technical staff be appointed to operate and maintain the facilities.
According to the report presented at the meeting, the operation and maintenance of several civic water tanks are managed through contracts. The MLA said ordinary security guards should be replaced or supplemented by ex-servicemen at water tank sites following the Asarwa incident. The report does not state whether the discovery has been linked to a confirmed cause or whether any investigation has established how the remains entered the tank.
The MLA also raised concerns about the qualifications of personnel responsible for switching pumps on and off. He said water tanks should have qualified employees, including ITI-trained tunnel fitters, but alleged that such workers were not deployed at the contracted facilities. He further claimed that, at some locations, people operating tea stalls or other outsiders were switching the pumps. These claims were made during the meeting and were not accompanied in the supplied report by a response from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.
The concerns place the focus on more than physical guarding. Water distribution centres require controlled access, trained operators and clear responsibility for pump operations and maintenance. The meeting discussion linked the Asarwa discovery to the wider question of how municipal infrastructure is supervised when essential services are delivered through contractors.
The committee also discussed the design of the Makrba Bridge. The Ellisbridge MLA reportedly objected that the bridge descends at a four-way junction, creating difficulties for traffic planning after completion. He proposed that the corporation establish a dedicated design cell for bridge and housing projects so that surrounding junctions, vehicle movement and post-construction operations are considered while projects are being planned.
Other civic issues were raised during the meeting. Amit Shah reportedly said that 77 Class-I officers were working in charge arrangements within the corporation and sought permanent appointments to vacant posts. He also referred to superintendent positions in civic hospitals that had allegedly been operating under charge arrangements for years, arguing that regular appointments were needed for better public healthcare delivery.
In Vejalpur, MLA Amit Thaker demanded a dedicated storm-water line to address waterlogging. The proposed route, according to the report, would connect areas from Butbhavani through Shreyas Complex towards Makrba. Additional storm-water lines were sought around Shivranjani, behind Parth School, near Jivraj Crossroads and along Sonal Road near Rajwadu Hotel. The demands also included pumping and booster stations, new roads and gardens.
The meeting therefore brought together immediate operational concerns at water facilities with longer-term questions about civic design, staffing and drainage capacity. The supplied report does not record final decisions, sanctioned works or implementation timelines for the demands raised.
