Ahmedabad Municipal commissioner raps bridge officials over poor planning, flags pollution and traffic issues
Updated: Jan 2nd, 2026
Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani sharply criticised officials of the Bridge Department during a weekly review meeting, holding them responsible for public inconvenience caused by what he described as poor planning and a lack of coordination.
Bridge closures worsen traffic congestion
Referring to the closure of Subhash Bridge followed by the shutdown of the Shahibaug underpass, the commissioner said the department’s decisions had significantly worsened traffic congestion and added to citizens’ daily woes.
Addressing the additional engineer, Pani said, “Because of your careless planning, the people of Ahmedabad are facing unnecessary hardship.”
When a deputy commissioner attempted to respond, the municipal commissioner intervened, stressing that infrastructure-related decisions must be supported by proper planning before execution to minimise inconvenience to the public.
New year priorities: traffic, parking, greenery and air quality
At the first weekly review meeting of the new year, Pani directed civic officials to prioritise traffic management, parking solutions, greenery and air pollution mitigation. He asked departments to prepare Action Taken Reports and submit them without delay.
He also cautioned officials against relying excessively on consultant reports, urging them to conduct regular on-ground inspections in their respective wards and zones to better understand local issues.
The commissioner said the civic administration would provide full support in terms of manpower and resources to resolve traffic and parking problems, and made it clear that complaints should not remain pending.
Construction dust under scrutiny amid poor AQI
Taking serious note of Ahmedabad’s consistently deteriorating Air Quality Index (AQI), Pani warned officials that improving air quality was within the administration’s control.
“If you fail to improve air quality, your children will have to suffer,” he said.
He instructed officials to ensure strict enforcement of dust-control measures at construction sites, including mandatory green netting. In cases of non-compliance, officials were directed to install green nets at the corporation’s cost and recover the expenses from developers. If pollution continued despite these measures, construction work was to be halted.
The commissioner also issued directions to develop the Sabarmati Riverfront as the ‘Central Park of Ahmedabad’, with a focus on improving entry and exit points. He asked officials to repair damaged roads along the Heritage Walk route and ensure clear, adequate signage.
Pointing out that Ahmedabad remained weak on the tourism front, Pani called for better planning to attract more international tourists and improve the city’s overall visitor experience.
