In a major enforcement drive, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) on Wednesday took stringent action against buildings operating without the mandatory occupancy certificate, sealing a total of 28 units across the city. The crackdown notably targeted 16 hospitals found to be functioning without valid Building Use (BU) permission.
Wide-Ranging Sealing Drive Targets Key Facilities
The civic body's action was not limited to healthcare units. The sealed properties also included 10 pre-schools and two banquet halls, all part of an ongoing campaign against facilities flouting municipal norms. Officials from the estate TDO department of AMC's South West Zone revealed that these establishments had continued operations despite repeated verbal warnings.
The core issue was the failure to obtain the crucial BU clearance or to regularise any unauthorised construction by paying the required impact fee. The AMC had previously issued formal notices, directing the owners to secure the necessary permits or legalise their structures. The sealing operation was launched only after it became clear that these directives had been ignored.
List of Sealed Hospitals and the Shadow of Past Tragedy
Among the prominent healthcare facilities sealed in this drive are:
- Devpushp Maternity and Nursing Home in Sarkhej
- Muskaan Maternity Home, Naushin Hospital, Riyaz Hospital, and Happinest Children Hospital in Maktampura
- Safal Multispeciality Hospital, Mamata Hospital, Aasna Orthopedic Hospital, and Dwarika Hospital in South Bopal
This issue of unauthorised hospital buildings has been under intense scrutiny since the tragic 2020 fire at Shrey Hospital in Navrangpura, which claimed eight lives. That incident brought fire safety norms and BU compliance into sharp focus, prompting the civic body to initiate stricter checks. In a similar action in September 2021, the AMC had sealed 41 private hospitals for lacking valid BU permission.
Future Action and a Path to Regularisation
The AMC has issued a stern warning that other illegal units, including multiplexes and educational institutions operating without BU permission or without paying the impact fee, will face similar action in the coming days. Despite periodic inspections over the past four years, concerns have persisted about hospitals continuing operations with illegal constructions and avoiding mandated fees.
However, a route to compliance exists. Following the state government's implementation of the Impact Fee Act in 2022, hospitals and other buildings with unauthorised structures were provided an opportunity to regularise them by paying the prescribed fee. The current drive underscores the civic body's resolve to enforce regulations strictly, prioritising public safety over non-compliance.
