Opposition alleges corruption at AMC board meeting

Ahmedabad: The civic body’s general board meeting ended on a fiery note on Monday with the opposition Congress in the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) levelling serious allegations of corruption against the ruling party. Opposition leader Shahzad Khan Pathan alleged that no action has been taken yet against the contractors involved in the dubious Hatkeshwar flyover construction. Pathan also presented to the mayor, Kirit Parmar, a framed photograph of the flyover as a mark of protest. He further alleged corruption in the pre-monsoon road resurfacing contracts as well. “The standing committee had approved 20 road resurfacing works for an estimated Rs 324.77 crore, but at the time of awarding these contracts the budget was cumulatively raised to Rs 405.2 crore. Why this escalation in such a short time?” he sought to know. He also questioned why the AMC’s land disposable price fixing committee had decided to fix the base price of 14 prime plots belonging to the civic body on March 9, even as the new jantri rates—which were double the previous rates — were to be applicable from April 15. “This has caused monetary loss for the AMC,” Pathan alleged. Another Congress corporator, Iqbal Sheikh, raised the issue of corruption in the east zone office of the AMC in matters of property taxes. Chandkheda corporator Rajshree Kesri raised the issue of reducing the size of Bhikhabhai garden in order to benefit a builder constructing a property nearby.“A road was allowed to pass through a chunk of the garden space nearby so that the builder does not lose land,” alleged Kesri.