The Gujarat government has once again initiated a bulldozer action in Devbhoomi Dwarka and Bet Dwarka. Hundreds of acres of government land, which had been encroached upon for the construction of houses, religious structures, and commercial establishments, are being cleared, in the coastal areas. The operation is being conducted under strict police security and with adequate safety measures in place.
While an official statement from the state government is awaited, initial reports suggested that around 40 to 50 illegal residential and commercial structures are being demolished as part of this operation. Meanhwile, Harsh Sanghavi, Home Minister of Gujarat, also informed about the same on social media. “Bet Dwarka is the land of faith for crores of people across the country. We will not allow any illegal encroachment in Lord Krishna’s land. It is our responsibility to protect our faith and culture. The Bhupendra Bhai Patel government in Gujarat has shown zero tolerance for illegal encroachment,” he declared on X (earlier Twitter).
बेट द्वारिका देश भर के करोड़ों लोगों की आस्था की भूमि है। कृष्ण भूमि में किसी भी अवैध अतिक्रमण को नहीं होने देंगे। हमारी आस्था और संस्कृति की रक्षा करना हमारी जिम्मेदारी है।
— Harsh Sanghavi (@sanghaviharsh) January 11, 2025
Bhupendra Bhai Patel government in Gujarat has shown zero tolerance for illegal encroachment. pic.twitter.com/gaa8ZBKMoL
The entry for pilgrims into Bet Dwarka has been temporarily restricted, following the action taken by the authorities. Barricades have been set up and strict police security has been deployed. However, special care has been taken to ensure that no disruption occurs in the temple’s functioning. The daily routine of worship and prayers to the deity will continue as usual, maintaining the sanctity of the religious practices despite the ongoing drive.
બેટ દ્વારકામાં મેગા ડિમોલિશન
— ઑપઇન્ડિયા (@OpIndia_G) January 11, 2025
2022માં ગુજરાત સરકારે દ્વારકાથી જ દરિયાકાંઠાના વિસ્તારો પર બુલડોઝર ફેરવીને સરકારી જમીન ખુલ્લી કરવાનું અભિયાન ઉપાડ્યું હતું, હવે ફરી દ્વારકા પહોંચ્યાં બુલડોઝર
વિશેષ અભિયાન હેઠળ સરકારી જમીન પર અતિક્રમણ કરીને તાણી બાંધેલાં મકાનો અને અન્ય કમર્શિયલ… pic.twitter.com/y2NZTxnWJk
According to reports, a total of 1,000 personnel, including senior officials and police officers, are involved in the entire operation. Before the action commenced, senior officials from the administration and police department devised a detailed plan and completed all necessary preparations. The district police chief, along with other officers and administrative officials, remained present on the ground to keep an eye on the process, even during the operation.
Additionally, drone cameras are being utilized to monitor the action. It is not yet determined how long this operation will last, nonetheless, given the extensive number of structures involved, it may take a considerable time to conclude.
Notably, Bet Dwarka is located on the western edge of India, just 2 kilometers away from Devbhoomi Dwarka. This small island houses a temple dedicated to Lord Krishna, which holds immense religious significance for Hindus. Millions of devotees visit the temple annually to offer their prayers. While access to the island was previously only possible via sea, a bridge has now been constructed, facilitating easier travel.
Gujarat’s coastline spans 1,600 kilometers, offering numerous advantages but also presenting challenges from a security perspective. Since the Bhupendra Patel government came into power, significant focus has been placed on strengthening security in coastal areas. Simultaneously, measures have been undertaken to uncover encroachments on government land that have persisted for many years in these regions.
The campaign to remove illegal occupation began in Dwarka in 2022, where hundreds of acres of government land were reclaimed by demolishing unlawful structures using bulldozers. This operation is considered one of the largest demolition drives in Gujarat’s history. Following this, similar actions were carried out in coastal areas like Somnath and Porbandar, with similar action recently undertaken in Somnath as well.
Now, bulldozers have returned to Dwarka. Reports informed that after the 2022 demolition, authorities gathered more information regarding the illicit practice in the Bet Dwarka area. Based on this, additional illegal constructions were identified. According to government sources, such action will continue wherever encroachments are found in the region.