The civic body has initiated an ambitious project of reviving 143 lakes in the city by taking possession of them from the district collector’s office. The project aims to enhance water conservation, restore the lakes as public spaces and use them as stormwater sinks to avoid urban floods. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has already taken possession of 25 lakes and is in the process of acquiring 78 more from the approved list of 103 lakes.
The project has a multipronged approach. 18 lakes, such as Muthia lake, Ramol’s Vadu Lake, and Gota Lake, have been selected for immediate development. Another 25 lakes, apart from the ones already taken over, will be part of a Rs 25 crore water conservation project. A further Rs 25 crore has been allocated to divert stormwater into 50 lakes and develop them to act as stormwater sinks during monsoons to prevent urban flooding.
AMC will conduct drone surveys and GIS mapping of all 143 lakes. Most of these lakes have encroachments. An agency will be hired to prepare aerial and ground maps of the lakes and other reserve plots around them.
“All encroachments will be mapped and given QR codes. A final report will be prepared and a policy to remove all encroachments made,” said a senior AMC official.
AMC’s 2024-25 budget allocates Rs 73.10 crore for lake development, a significant increase from the previous year’s Rs 34.60 crore.
“AMC has taken possession of 25 lakes and is working to take possession of the remaining 78 lakes. Eighteen lakes have been identified for development in the current financial year,” a senior official said. “This project covers rainwater harvesting in 50 lakes and interlinking of 15 lakes,” he added.
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