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A controversy has emerged ahead of the Amdavad Municipal Corporation’s (AMC) annual Kankaria Carnival, scheduled to be held from December 25 to 31 at the Kankaria Lakefront.
The civic body has taken an insurance cover worth over ₹5,000 crore from Oriental Insurance Company to safeguard visitors against risks such as terrorism, earthquakes and fire.
The AMC has reportedly paid a premium of ₹3.91 lakh for the policy. However, the insurance terms have triggered concerns, as compensation in case of an accident is reportedly conditional on visitors possessing a valid ticket.
The issue has raised questions because entry to the carnival is free, as in previous years, and no tickets have been issued.
This has led to doubts over whether visitors would be eligible for compensation if any untoward incident occurs during the event.
As the issue drew criticism, the AMC acknowledged a possible loophole in the insurance conditions.
Standing Committee chairman Devang Dani said instructions have been issued to remove the contentious clause and that discussions will be held with the insurance company to resolve the matter.
Kankaria Carnival 2025 is expected to attract lakhs of visitors and will feature events such as drone shows, light-and-sound performances, a pet fashion show and musical programmes by leading Gujarati artistes. Entry will remain free from 4 am to 10 pm throughout the seven-day event.
To manage large crowds, the AMC has planned extensive security arrangements, including headcount cameras at all entry and exit gates, CCTV coverage and drone surveillance.
Officials said gates will be temporarily closed if the crowd reaches between 80,000 and one lakh at any given time.