45 families living in slums near Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad served eviction notice

At least 45 families that live in and around the renewed Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad have been asked to vacate their houses ahead of Narendra Modi’s visit to the area with US President Donald Trump. The slum dwellers were served an eviction notice by the municipal corporation ahead of the visit that is scheduled for 24 February.

While the authorities have served the families notices for allegedly encroaching upon a plot of land that belongs to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), the timing of the move, which comes just days after they started building a wall to cover slums on the route that Trump will take on his visit has not escaped the residents. They have not only been asked to vacate land, but have been threatened to clear their household chattels as well, failing which a departmental action will be taken to evict them. According to reports, they have not been given any alternate accommodation either.

Chaitanya Shah, the Deputy Estate Officer (West Zone) refuted claims that the citizens have been asked to vacate land due to the visit of the two high-profile leaders. "They (slum-dwellers) have been served the eviction notice under the provisions of the Town Planning Act and has nothing to do with Trump's visit. The plot belongs to the AMC. The notice was served as the site survey conducted in January found that the plot had been encroached upon," Shah said.

Preparations are underway at the Motera Cricket Stadium for Namaste Trump event. (Image: ANI)

The slums are located alongside the road that connects Ahmedabad to Gandhinagar, and is located just over a kilometre away from the Motera Stadium, which can now see 1,10,000 spectators. The venue is expected to host an international match between the England and Indian men’s cricket teams next year.

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Modi and Trump are scheduled to address a rally of over a lakh people at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera as part of the “Namaste Trump” event on February 24. The President will also inaugurate the stadium, and will take part in a roadshow the same day to visit the Sabarmati Ashram.