Ahmedabad
On the birthday of our city, dna talks to the city bosses to get a peek into their vision of future. A compact Ahmedabad by 2021, is what they see.
Updated : Feb 26, 2014, 11:05 PM IST
One of the fastest growing cities in the world, Ahmedabad, is well on its way to becoming one of the most modern cities of India. The city known for its low density-low rise development is all set for high population density and skyscrapers in upcoming years.
The rapid urbanisation will give demographic dividend as well as pose certain challenges like traffic problems, sanitation and hygiene issues, slums, affordable housing and stray cattle.
Ahmedabad has been developing on the concept of ring-radial and it will continue to grow in the same way in future as well. However, its low-rise skyline is all set to be transformed as soon as 25-storey buildings will no longer be a novelty in the city.
Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (Auda) has submitted its second revised draft development plan (DP) to the state government, which is a blueprint for the development of the city till 2021. In this draft DP, Auda has aimed at keeping the city compact by allowing only the minimum required development outside the limit of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC).
Moreover, Auda has promoted high-rise buildings on the mass transit corridor, on Sabarmati Riverfront and in the central business district (CBD).
The development authority has permitted buildings with even 25 storeys by granting higher floor space index (FSI).
“We want to promote better utilisation of land available within the city limit by controlling urban sprawl,” said Neela Munshi, senior town planner of Auda. She said urban sprawl leads to higher financial burden on infrastructure development and transportation besides reducing agriculture land and increasing stress level.
Ashram Road and riverfront have been marked at skyscraper zones in the development plan. Similarly, higher FSI will be granted over a 100-metre area on each side of the urban transport corridor in the city which will lead to high population density encouraging people to use public transport.
“I believe 10 years later, the city will have high-rise buildings along the BRTS corridor, Central Business District like Ashram Rroad along Metro routes and riverfront, due to higher FSI. The whole idea of this is that people should stay close to public transport and not need to walk much for buses or Metro,” said Guruprasad Mohapatra, municipal commissioner of Ahmedabad.