At its 2 July meeting the Rajkot Municipal Corporation Standing Committee sanctioned 60 development proposals worth Rs 1.44 billion while rejecting an extension for the contractor cleaning Gandhivel, instructing officials to float a new tender. Two schemes for Eklini were deferred for further study after 331 proposals were reviewed.

A centre piece of the approvals is a Rs 215.5 million project for a G + 7 fire station and 50 staff quarters on Pardi Road, Ward 17. Six firms bid; S M Seldiya won with a 6.7 per cent lower offer. The committee also adopted revised recruitment rules, new posts and higher qualifications to modernise the fire service.

Road infrastructure attracted heavy investment. In the western zone a 3.9 kilometre stretch from Smart City to Kataria Chowk on Kalavad Road Part 4 will be rebuilt for Rs 447.9 million by Classic Network. Shreeji Devcon India secured a Rs 147 million contract for works from Amul Circle to the National Highway and from Ramvan’s Garud Gate to the city boundary in Ward 15, while a Rs 85.8 million link from Parasana Chowk to Kankot village in Ward 11 was also cleared.

Among green initiatives the committee approved a tree for every newborn scheme: 40,000 saplings will be planted and tended by Manav Seva Trust at Rs 120 million, with each tree geotagged and parents receiving quarterly updates.

New rental and deposit tariffs were set for the Shyamaprasad Mukherjee Art Gallery at the Racecourse Complex, ranging from Rs 15,000 to Rs 30,000 for Gallery A, Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 for Gallery B and Rs 5,000 to Rs 12,000 for Gallery C, alongside agreed maintenance charges.

Drainage improvements include a Rs 1.551 million storm water pipeline beneath the railway bridge near AVPTI College in Ward 7, to be executed by Vinayak Enterprise.

Finally, the committee endorsed an Enforcement Directorate request to proceed against former Town Planning Officer Sagathia; the matter now moves to the General Board for ratification.