Ahmedabad witnessed a rare and jaw-dropping demolition sight in the Sarangpur area, where an eight-tonne JCB excavator was placed atop a massive municipal water tank, towering nearly as high as a ten-storey building. The decades-old Sarangpur Circle water tank, which has been supplying drinking water to Khadia and Sarangpur for over 75 years, is being demolished by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) after years of service.

The unusual demolition method caught the attention of residents and commuters alike, with many stopping to capture photos and videos. One social media user expressed disbelief, writing, “JCB upar kaise pahuncha?” The incident quickly went viral, sparking political commentary online. Congress leader Supriya Srinate shared a video, remarking, “70 years ago, they built such a strong water tank. Today, JCBs are needed to demolish it. We built this country.”

AMC officials explained that manual demolition was initially attempted but proved inefficient due to the tank’s robust construction. “The demolition of the Sarangpur water tank is currently underway. Manual dismantling was time-consuming because of the tank’s strength, so the contractor opted to use heavy machinery,” said Ramya Bhatt, Deputy Municipal Commissioner of AMC’s Central Zone.

Safety measures were a top priority, with barricades installed around 20 feet from the structure and an insurance cover of ₹1 crore arranged by the contractor. Bhatt added, “Only after ensuring safety measures and insurance coverage was permission granted to deploy the JCB.”