GMC defies govt, NGT order on road concretisation, halts work after locals object
The civic body recently dug up the road edges and laid stone chips in Patel Nagar's Ward 9 near Chhabildas Public School to lay interlocking paver blocks, drawing sharp criticism from residents.
On Friday, GMC officials said they have halted the work and will limit the concretisation to 0.5 metres from the road edge, in line with state norms.
"We are here to work for the public and comply with the laws of the land," executive engineer SP Mishra said.
"After residents raised concerns, we stopped the work. A decision will now be made on addressing waterlogging and levelling through permissible means."
Himanshu Parashar, a local resident who confronted engineers on-site, said the damage had already been done. "It's not enough to stop laying blocks. The dug-up roadsides need restoration. Leaving loose stone chips behind is dangerous and ineffective in managing runoff," he said.
Currently, stockpiles of paver blocks lie stacked along the stretch, ready for installation. Parashar, along with other residents, is advocating for a sustainable alternative: planting shrubs and grasses to restore soil permeability and prevent dust pollution. "Instead of concretising everything, GMC should engage the horticulture department to green the area," he said.
Parashar said he plans to approach the authorities again to ensure that the halted project does not remain a half-finished environmental hazard.
A petition against the widespread concretisation of open spaces in Ghaziabad is currently pending before the NGT.
Follow more information on
Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here
. Get
real-time live updates
on rescue operations and check
full list of passengers onboard AI 171
.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
5 hours ago
- NDTV
Vijay Rupani Was Seen Inside Boeing Cockpit Months Before Air India Crash
Ahmedabad: Former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, who died in an Air India plane crash on June 12 in Ahmedabad, had visited a Boeing cockpit months before the deadly accident. Mr Rupani's pictures from his visit to Western India Institute of Aeronautics in Ahmedabad's Indus University have resurfaced days after he was killed when a London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner (AI 171) flight, with 242 passengers and crew members on board, crashed into a hostel and canteen of a medical college shortly after taking off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. All but one on board the plane died along with 29 on the ground. Mr Rupani, who visited the University on April 8, shared pictures of himself inside the cockpit of a decommissioned Boeing 737-200 aircraft. He was seen sitting in the right-hand seat, which is mostly occupied by the first officer (co-pilot). View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vijay Rupani (@vijayrupanibjp) Mr Rupani was also seen interacting with Radhika Bhandari, the Dean of Aviation at the university, while standing at the door of the aircraft. "Today, during a visit to the campus of "Indus University" in Ahmedabad, I visited the Western India Institute of Aeronautics. During this visit, I saw models of aircraft like Boeing 737, Cessna, Zenith and Mig-21 and real aircraft," he had written in Gujarati in a post on Instagram. "During this, the conversation with the students of the Aviation Department became very energetic. I wish the Indian student to make his name bright on the global stage," he added. Captain Umang Jani, a faculty member at the university who had shown Mr Rupani around, said that he was "very curious" and asked them how the aircraft works. "I tried to explain and answer his queries regarding the aircraft, the various controls in the cockpit and the functioning of the airliner," he told The Indian Express. Mr Rupani, who was a member of the Rajya Sabha between 2006 and 2012, served as the chief minister from 2016 to 2021. Vijay Rupani Cancelled London Ticket Twice Flying to London on June 12 to meet his wife and daughter was not Vijay Rupani's first choice. He had first booked his ticket for May 19 on flight AI171 and intended to fly back to India on June 25. With a change in plans, Mr Rupani cancelled his ticket for May 19 and decided to fly on June 5. However, he cancelled his second ticket too and booked seat number 2D on flight AI 171 for June 12.
India Today
7 hours ago
- India Today
Vijay Rupani explored Boeing cockpit two months before Air India plane crash
Just two months before former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani died in the tragic crash of Air India flight AI 171 in Ahmedabad, he was seen inside the cockpit of another aircraft, keen to understand how it operates. In June, Rupani was among the 241 passengers who lost their lives when an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed in Ahmedabad's Meghaninagar area. The accident also claimed the lives of more than 20 local two months after the tragedy, old photos of Vijay Rupani sitting in the cockpit of a Boeing 737-200 aircraft have gone viral on social media. These pictures were taken during his visit to Indus University in April, where he was learning about aviation. The Boeing 737-200 aircraft, where the photos were taken, is about 50 years old and is placed on the campus of Indus University for educational purposes. It was brought to the university seven years ago. The aviation department of the university invited him to sit inside the cockpit of the old Boeing aircraft. Captain Umang Jani, Head of the Aviation Department at the Western India Institute of Aeronautics, said Rupani was very curious and asked many questions about how planes fly and how pilots control them. He sat in the pilot's seat and showed great interest in the cockpit instruments.'He asked where to place feet, how to hold the controls, and was amazed by the meters and switches,' said Jani. In a twist of fate, it is worth mentioning that the cockpit of the Boeing 737-200 aircraft in which the former CM was seated is quite similar to that of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. However, the Dreamliner uses advanced digital systems while the older aircraft relies on analog had shared the cockpit photos on his social media shortly after his visit. After his tragic death, those photos are being widely shared again.- EndsMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Air India
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Time of India
AI 171 Tragedy: Six families receive second set of remains
Ahmedabad: Six families of victims of the AI 171 crash on Thursday received a 'second set' of remains from the Civil Hospital. These remains were from the 16 more found at the wreckage site in Meghaninagar during post-disaster operations, and were matched with DNA samples provided by kin. This handover may mean a second funeral for some victims. A consent form had been distributed among relatives of the deceased including passengers, crew members, doctors, their relatives and local residents, sources close to the development said. "The form sought permission to carry out last rites of remains that may be found during the further clearing of the spot or during medical analysis," said an official. The six families, all from different parts of Gujarat, including Anand, Nadiad, and Ahmedabad, had asked hospital authorities to approach them in case of a DNA match. "It is rare for the same person to have more than one funeral, but in this case, the families have the DNA match and certificate of handover of the mortal remains. Thus, there will be no issue even if there is more than one funeral for the remains," added the official. You Can Also Check: Ahmedabad AQI | Weather in Ahmedabad | Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad | Public Holidays in Ahmedabad Out of the remaining ten, nine have consented to the hospital carrying out last rites, whereas a response from one family of the victim is awaited, said the sources. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo The sources added that the new set of remains is minuscule compared to the first. "Some have part of the body, whereas some have one or more bones. Due to the nature of the crash, it is possible that victims' bodies underwent intense distress that may have caused the fragmentation," said an official associated with the process. At the end of June, the state health department put the death toll in the disaster at 260. The figure included 229 passengers and 12 crew members aboard the ill-fated AI 141, totalling 241. The remaining 19 people lost their lives on the ground. These included four medical students, four relatives of doctors and students living at the medical hostel in Meghaninagar, and at least five residents of the locality including a couple, a child and a youth. All mortal remains were sent to forensic science laboratories for DNA matching with the existing record of relatives. All 260 matches and handing over of bodies were completed within a fortnight of the crash.
