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Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
More than 23k cops to be deployed for Gujarat Rath Yatra; AI-based surveillance system to make debut
More than 23,000 security personnel will be deployed during the heavily-patronised Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in Gujarat's Ahmedabad on June 27, with the highlight being the deployment of an artificial intelligence-based surveillance system for the first time to prevent stampede-like situations, officials said on Thursday. The AI-based system would also notify police and the fire department in the event of a blaze and warn the police control room about overcrowding along the route, a Gujarat government release said. As per police, 14-15 lakh people are expected to attend the 148th edition of the Yatra. "Under the AI system, the visual analytics software at the police control room will receive live feeds from CCTV cameras and drones deployed on the route. The software will analyse the live feed to estimate the number of persons present at that particular spot and how many more are expected to arrive in a short period," the release said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now Undo "Apart from AI, police will use drones for surveillance and Global Positioning System (GPS)-enabled devices to track real time location of vehicles in the procession. Some 4500 personnel will walk with the procession on the entire route while 1931 personnel will be deployed for traffic management as several routes will be closed and there will be diversions," it added. A total of 23,884 security personnel, including local police, State Reserve Police (SRP), Chetak Commandos and Rapid Action Force, will be deployed along the route, while senior officials of the force will keep a watch on the procession using 2,872 body-worn cameras linked with the control room, the release said. Live Events It said 41 drones and 96 cameras have been installed at different locations and at 25 watch towers. Ahead of the 148th Rath Yatra, police had organised 177 meetings of peace committees, 235 meetings of mohalla committees, 57 meetings of women's committees as well as 21 meetings with various religious leaders with the aim of maintaining communal unity and harmony, the release informed. Traditionally, the procession, led by chariots, starts at 7am from the 400-year-old Lord Jagannath temple in Jamalpur area and returns to it by 8pm, with the 16-kilometre route including the old city, which has some communally sensitive areas. The procession usually has 18 elephants, 100 trucks, and 30 akhadas, while lakhs of people gather along the route, officials said, adding that the chariots of Lord Jagganath, his brother Balbhadra and sister Subhadra will be pulled by the Khalasi community as per an age-old tradition.
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Time of India
Phase 2 of Chandola lake anti-encroachment drive starts on Tuesday
Ahmedabad: City police and civic authorities will launch Phase 2 of the anti-encroachment drive near Chandola lake from Tuesday. After clearing 1.5 lakh sq m in Phase 1, this phase aims to free 2.5 lakh sq m of illegal structures. "Maintaining law and order during the operation is our top priority," said city police commissioner GS Malik ahead of the second phase of the Chandola lake demolition drive. Following the clearance of 1.5 lakh sq m of encroached land in Phase 1, the authorities will now clear an additional 2.5 lakh sq m in Phase 2, said the commissioner. To ensure the process remains peaceful, the police have deployed 3,000 personnel and 25 companies of the State Reserve Police (SRP) in two shifts. The demolition work will start at 7am and may continue for 3 to 4 days. Loudspeaker announcements have been made in the affected areas over the past two days, instructing residents to vacate their houses before the operation begins. Those residing in the area before 2010 have been informed they may be eligible for EWS housing and can collect forms from the Danilimda ward office. According to police records, the Chandola area previously had a high presence of Bangladeshi nationals living without legal documents. Thisy year, police detained 250 illegal immigrants from the city, of which 207 were from the Chandola area. Over 200 have since been deported. Police officials earlier claimed that parts of the area were also used for illegal activities. The police commissioner stated that the force is prepared to handle the operation without any disruption and that patrolling will continue until the drive is complete.
Hans India
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Gujarat: AMC to begin second phase of Chandola Lake demolition drive
Ahmedabad: The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) will begin the second phase of its large-scale demolition drive around Chandola Lake from May 20, intensifying efforts to clear illegal settlements in the area. The upcoming operation follows the clearance of 1.5 lakh square metres of land during phase one earlier this year. A high-level meeting to review preparations was held on Monday, with top AMC officials and Police Commissioner G.S. Malik in attendance. The focus of the second phase will be to remove encroachments from an additional 2.5 lakh square metres, as the civic body looks to reclaim public land that has increasingly been taken over by unauthorised structures, many of which are said to obstruct roads and civic infrastructure. The area around Chandola Lake has become a hub for illegal settlements, with several reportedly occupied by Bangladeshi nationals. As part of security arrangements, the AMC will be backed by a deployment of over 3,000 police personnel and 25 State Reserve Police (SRP) teams. 'Our primary task will be to ensure law and order during the demolition,' said Police Commissioner Malik, confirming that the operation is expected to continue for the next two to three days. AMC officials also stated that arrangements have been made to provide housing to eligible families displaced by the drive, as part of the urban resettlement plan. The AMC's demolition drive around Chandola Lake is one of the largest anti-encroachment operations in recent urban history in Gujarat. With over 4 lakh square metres of land (1.5 lakh sq m in Phase 1 and 2.5 lakh sq m in Phase 2) being cleared, this is equivalent to roughly 100 acres, an area larger than 75 football fields. Such large-scale reclamation of public land in a densely populated city is rare and signals a serious push towards restructuring unregulated zones. The AMC has officially linked many of the encroachments to undocumented Bangladeshi migrants, bringing the issue into the spotlight of national security and illegal immigration discourse. In 2025 alone, 250 Bangladeshi nationals have been arrested in Ahmedabad, with 207 from the Chandola area, and over 200 have already been deported. This points to a migrant hotspot in the city and has led to increased surveillance and stricter enforcement actions. This also intersects with larger political narratives around national security, citizenship, and urban law enforcement, making this not just a civic issue but also a political one.
New Indian Express
29-04-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Demolition drive launched in Ahmedabad following detention of 6500 suspected Bangladeshi immigrants, mostly Muslims
The civic authorities and police in Ahmedabad on Tuesday launched a mega demolition drive in the Muslim-majority area of Chandola lake, days after 6500 people, mostly Muslims, were detained and accused of being illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. While the demolition drive is being spearheaded by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, around 2,000 policemen, headed by Joint Commissioner of Police-Crime Sharad Singhal, were deployed at the site to maintain law and order, Police Commissioner G S Malik said. Malik, who reached the lake to take stock of the demolition drive, told reporters that all police stations in the city were put on 'alert' to deal with any situation in view of the demolition drive at Chandola Lake. Singhal said the AMC started the drive early in the morning with 50 teams, each equipped with an earthmover machine. "The last demolition drive at Chandola Lake was carried out in 2009. Recently, a survey conducted by the AMC revealed that government land had been encroached upon again, and shanties were constructed around the lake. Illegal Bangladeshi immigrants lived in areas like Siyasatnagar and Bengali Vaas surrounding this lake," he said. According to Malik, an FIR is being registered against Mehmood Pathan alias Lallu Bihari, the alleged mastermind behind the encroachment on government land at Chandola Lake. He also allegedly helped illegal Bangladeshi immigrants get rental accommodation and Aadhaar cards, according to officials. "We have deployed 2,000 policemen along with 20 companies of the State Reserve Police (SRP) to assist the AMC in clearing illegal constructions at Chandola Lake, which includes areas like Siyasatnagar and Bengali Vaas. Police in the entire city have also been put on alert. Strict action will be taken if anyone tries to take the law into their hands," Malik said. He claimed the minority community residing near the lake wants the authorities to take action against Bangladeshi immigrants living in illegal settlements. The top cop said the authorities have also razed Pathan's farmhouse built illegally on the banks of the lake. "We have started the process of registering a first information report against Pathan. He helped illegal immigrants get accommodations using bogus rent agreements and procured Aadhaar cards. It is also suspected that some people in the area had also acquired passports," Malik said. Deputy Municipal Commissioner DC Parmar said nearly 2,000 illegally built houses and other properties were identified for demolition, and 50 per cent of the work was completed by noon. He said Chandola Lake is a water body, and no construction is allowed around the lake. Earlier on Monday, DGP Vikas Sahay said around 450 Bangladeshi nationals were found to be residing illegally in Gujarat after police launched a crackdown and detained nearly 6,500 Muslims, who are suspected to be citizens of the neighbouring country. Sahay said following mega search operations in Ahmedabad and Surat, similar exercises were undertaken across the state, with 6,500 suspected illegal Bangladeshi immigrants detained and their identities being verified.
The Hindu
29-04-2025
- The Hindu
Drive launched to raze illegal settlements in Ahmedabad locality post detention of Bangladeshis
The civic authorities and police in Ahmedabad on Tuesday (April 29, 2025) launched a mega demolition drive in the Chandola lake area, days after illegal Bangladeshi immigrants were detained from the settlements built on the periphery of the water body, officials said. While the demolition drive is being spearheaded by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), around 2,000 policemen, headed by Joint Commissioner of Police-Crime Sharad Singhal, were deployed at the site to maintain law and order, Police Commissioner G.S. Malik said. Mr. Malik, who reached the lake to take stock of the demolition drive, told reporters that all police stations in the city were put on 'alert' to deal with any situation in view of the demolition drive at Chandola Lake, a Muslim-majority area. Mr. Singhal said the AMC started the drive early in the morning with 50 teams, each equipped with an earthmover machine. "The last demolition drive at Chandola Lake was carried out in 2009. Recently, a survey conducted by the AMC revealed that government land had been encroached upon again, and shanties were constructed around the lake. Illegal Bangladeshi immigrants lived in areas like Siyasatnagar and Bengali Vaas surrounding this lake," he said. According to Mr. Malik, an FIR is being registered against Mehmood Pathan alias Lallu Bihari, the mastermind behind the encroachment on government land at Chandola Lake. He also helped illegal Bangladeshi immigrants get rental accommodation and Aadhaar cards. "We have deployed 2,000 policemen along with 20 companies of the State Reserve Police [SRP] to assist the AMC in clearing illegal constructions at Chandola Lake, which includes areas like Siyasatnagar and Bengali Vaas. Police in the entire city have also been put on alert. Strict action will be taken if anyone tries to take the law into their hands," Mr. Malik said. He said even the minority community residing near the lake wants the authorities to take action against Bangladeshi immigrants living in illegal settlements. The top cop said the authorities have also razed Pathan's farmhouse built illegally on the banks of the lake. "We have started the process of registering a first information report against Pathan. He helped illegal immigrants get accommodations using bogus rent agreements and procured Aadhaar cards. It is also suspected that some people in the area had also acquired passports," Mr. Malik said. Deputy Municipal Commissioner D.C. Parmar said nearly 2,000 illegally built houses and other properties were identified for demolition, and 50% of the work was completed by noon. He said Chandola Lake is a water body, and no construction is allowed around the lake. Earlier on Monday, Director General of Police (DGP) Vikas Sahay said around 450 Bangladeshi nationals were found to be residing illegally in Gujarat after police launched a crackdown and detained nearly 6,500 undocumented people who are suspected to be citizens of the neighbouring country. Mr. Sahay said following mega search operations in Ahmedabad and Surat, similar exercises were undertaken across the state, with 6,500 suspected illegal Bangladeshi immigrants detained and their identities being verified.
