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As elections approach, 42,000 benches will be installed for 3 women
Ahmedabad, December 2, 2025
As the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation elections approach, corporators have begun making arrangements for benches. 42,000 benches will be installed in three months. A contract worth approximately Rs 9.86 crore was signed for benches in some wards in a tender in 2025.
Corporators can contribute a maximum of Rs 3 lakh from their annual budget for benches, which is currently being fully utilized. If all corporators contribute Rs 3 lakh for benches, the expenditure will be Rs 5.75 crore.
The budget allocated to councillors as tax money is being used less for public works and more for nameplate purposes. Whether they win an election ticket or not, they are planning to keep the nameplates for three to four years.
The tender process has begun for 42,000 fences, including RCC, Chinese mosaic, and stainless steel fences. Additionally, an additional ₹800 will be paid for affixing a plaque with the corporator’s name on these fences.
Corporators, MLAs, or MPs have considered fences as development. The cost of one fence is only ₹1,500, but bills of over ₹3,500 have been deducted, resulting in millions of rupees.
Amit Shah’s Vasna ward will have the most fences, with 1,300 fences. 5,200 fences will be installed in the East Zone. 1,000 fences will be installed in Ranip and 600 in Vatva.
Bankada Scam
Similar banks were installed three years ago. However, when they were found to be fraudulent, a vigilance investigation was conducted. The Vigilance Department ordered that banks not be installed again. Allegations of corruption in the installation of benches: Ahmedabad’s societies and flats complained to the board that the installed benches were of poor quality, and in Shahpur, the benches were breaking into two pieces. Circulars have been issued several times regarding the benches, often citing poor quality. There were complaints of benches breaking within a single year. Councilors in the Khadia area spent 20 lakh rupees on benches over four years, but even after spending 20 lakh rupees, the Khadia Board is struggling to find benches. An RTI filed in this regard has revealed shocking facts. In 2021, four councilors from the Khadia ward—Mayur Dave, Krishnavadan Brahmbhatt, Jayshree Pandya, and Bhavana Nayak—spent money on benches, but the benches were not found. Subsequently, Commissioner Mukesh Kumar ordered that benches not be installed in societies and flats. Municipal Commissioner Mukesh Kumar had instructed the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Standing Chairman, BJP leaders, magistrates, councillors, chairmen and deputy chairmen of various committees not to approve work for banks from the budget. Urban areas were allocated ₹30 lakh annually for public works. The Commissioner had mandated that no more than 10% of the funds be spent on banks, yet some councillors disobeyed this policy. They are self-proclaimedly making a name for themselves by using public funds. In the financial year 2019-20, 176 councillors spent a total of ₹6.27 crore (₹62.7 million) on benches (plus signboards). ₹1,800 was spent on concrete benches and ₹9,000 on steel benches. The Road Committee and Khadi Committee had decided to install RCC benches in 2022. A councillor can provide a grant of up to ₹3 lakh for a bench. From September 7, 2018, the Planning Department had enacted a policy specifically for cement benches.
The policy was to install a maximum of 100 benches for a ₹3,000 bench.
Previously, in addition to plastic, china mosaic and stainless steel benches were also installed.
The policy was changed in 2023. Wooden texture paint will be applied to cement benches. The price of one bench has been increased to ₹5,500.
RCC pre-cast benches cost ₹5,490.
Scam in 2019-20
A ₹2,000 crore scam occurred in Ahmedabad.
₹14.2 million was spent on tree guards and benches.
Councilors from Gota, Chandlodia, Ghatlodia, Thaltej, and Bodakdev in the North-West zone of Ahmedabad committed massive corruption in the name of development.
They looted in the name of benches, tree guards, and paver blocks.
Every year, 20 to 40 percent of the budget is used solely for benches.
In 2019-20, four councillors from Gota may have committed a scam of ₹2,000 crore in 10 years on tree guards, bank and sports equipment, and paver blocks.
20 councillors spent ₹8.82 million on benches and tree guards and ₹2.14 million on paver blocks.
Ahmedabad councillors’ expenditure on benches in rupees:
Jyotsna P. Patel, Gota – ₹500,000
Dinesh M. Rabari, Gota – ₹450,000
Parul A. Patel, Gota – ₹200,000
Suresh A. Patel, Gota – ₹450,000
Rajeshwari Panchal, Chandlodiya – ₹800,000
Kusum Joshi, Chandlodiya – ₹151,500
Bharat K. Patel, Chandlodia – 250,000
Brijesh Patel, Chandlodia – 250,000
Renuka Patel, Ghatlodia – 475,000
Bhavna P. Patel, Ghatlodia – 400,000
Jatin J. Patel, Ghatlodia – 100,000
Dhanji Prajapati, Ghatlodia – 650,000
Lakshmi Choudhary, Thaltej – 300,000
Bhavna B. Pandya, Thaltej – 200,000
Bharat B. Patel, Thaltej – 250,000
Lal R. Thakor, Thaltej – 300,000
Vasanti Patel, Bodakdev – 425,000
Deepti Amarkotia, Bodakdev – 350,000
Kanti A. Patel, Bodakdev – 350,000
Devang J. Dani, Bodakdev – 250,000
Surat
Six bank cards belonging to MLA-MPs in Surat were sent to Pipaliya village in Jasdan, Saurashtra. These bank cards were purchased with a grant from Panseria, the BJP MLA from Kamrej. Date:
Their price in Surat is Rs. 6,500.These are made of FRC material (fiber). Now, the decision has been made to install cement fencing, which costs Rs. 4,475. 45 fences can be installed in a year, which is more than Ahmedabad.
