The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is gearing up to construct Ganesh Kunds along the banks of the Sabarmati River and various lakes within the city. However, there’s a significant change in the cost compared to the previous year.
This year, the expenses to build the temporary Ganesh Visharan Kund (temporary water tanks) are expected to be doubled. In 2022, a mere 17 lakhs were allocated for constructing the Ganesh Visharan Kund in the same locations where the costs ranged from Rs 7 to 10 lakhs.
The West Zone and North Zone Engineer Departments of the Corporation have issued tenders for the construction of Ganesh Kunds. The western zone of the corporation plans to construct 16 temporary Ganesh Kunds, amounting to Rs 17 lakhs, along the Sabarmati River and near various lakes. Simultaneously, the northern zone is planning to build five temporary Ganesh Kunds, estimated at Rs 11 lakhs in five different locations, including the Malekasban lake in the eastern area.
A whopping Rs 3.28 crores is earmarked for the construction of 21 Ganesh Kunds in just two zones. As tenders from other zones are anticipated, the estimated cost to build Ganesh Kunds for Ganesh Visharan throughout the entire city is expected to reach approximately Rs 5 crores.
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) allocates between Rs 4 and 5 crores annually for constructing temporary Ganesh tanks. Despite proposals to establish a permanent Ganesh tank along the Sabarmati riverbanks, this idea has not found favour with officials and remains unimplemented.
The AMC had constructed a cost-effective Ganesh Kund in the previous year. In August 2022, plans were put afoot to build a Ganesh Kund near Thaltej Lake and another at Bhopal, both in the city’s North West Zone. A tender was approved with an estimated cost of Rs 3.21 lakhs for the tank’s construction. Consequently, two Ganesh Kunds were built alongside two lakes in the North-West Zone, with a total expenditure of 6.50 lakhs. In 2022, the Western Zone issued 15 tenders for the construction of the highest number of Ganesh Kunds.
Significant funds, totalling Rs. 19.99 lakhs each, were sanctioned for construction in various wards under the purview of CT Engineer (1) and CT Engineer (3). The western zone alone used 1.83 crores to construct the Ganesh immersion tank.
In 2022, approximately 20 lakhs were allocated for tank construction in the North West Zone and South West Zone. Notably, Rs 14.89 lakhs per Kund were spent in 2022 for constructing four Ganesh Kunds along the western part of the Sabarmati Riverfront. An additional Rs 99 lakhs were sanctioned for this endeavour.
Fast forward to 2023, and the cost of constructing temporary Ganesh immersion tanks has surged. The Engineer Department of the West Zone has floated 16 tenders:
- Rs. 17 lakhs for Ganesh Kund near Sabarmati Acher crematorium.
- Rs. 17 lakhs for Ganesh Kund opposite Acher Auda Garden.
- Rs. 17 lakhs for Ganesh Kund near Motera Lake, near Surmya Homes.
- Rs. 17 lakhs for Ganesh Kund near Kaligram lake.
- Rs. 17 lakhs for Ganesh Kund near Ranip Ahwadia lake.
- Rs. 17 lakhs for the construction of Ganesh Kund in two plots of TP 44 of Chandkheda.
- Rs. 17 lakhs for constructing Ganesh Kund near Vadu Lake of Chandkheda.
- Rs. 17 lakhs for constructing Ganesh Kund near Amrakunj Bungalow.
- Rs. 10 lakhs for constructing Ganesh Kund in front of Sanskar Bharti Society.
- Rs. 17 lakhs for building a tank near Zipline behind Paldi NID.
- Rs. 17 lakhs to build a tank near Navarangpura Vallabhasdan.
- Rs. 17 lakhs for constructing a tank near Gujarat Sahitya Parishad.
- Rs. 17 lakhs for the construction of cisterns in different wards under CT Engineer (1).
- Rs. 17 lakhs for the construction of cisterns in different wards under CT Engineer (2).
- A tender has been issued for the construction of Ganesh Kund for Rs. 17 lakhs to meet the requirements in various wards under the control of CT Engineer (3).
Despite the significant funds being allocated for these short-term constructions, the Ahmedabad Municipality has yet to implement plans for a permanent Ganesh Kund to curtail the yearly expenditure on discharge tanks.
It is noteworthy that in 2022, officials of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation announced intentions to build a permanent tank to eliminate the need for annual spending on temporary discharge tanks.
Also Read: Gujarat Ranks Third In GST Collection Figures In India
