Be ready to walk down town in Ahmedabad...

If the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has its way, citizens will have to walk down the road in the walled city.

The civic body may prohibit entry of three and four-wheelers, including cars, to solve problems related to traffic and parking in walled city areas. The suggestion is part of the proposed parking policy submitted to Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) recently by AMC. In addition, AMC has proposed to make public transport effective in the traffic-congested areas.  

The civic body is facing a major challenge in managing traffic and parking due to increasing number of vehicles, especially cars. The authorisation of irregular constructions in the city is likely to add to the parking and traffic woes.
In the parking policy submitted to the JnNURM, the civic body has proposed to restrict entry of vehicles larger than three-wheelers including cars on certain roads of the city. The move aims at reducing traffic congestion and parking demand as large vehicles occupy huge space on and off the road. In case large vehicles need to be permitted entry on such roads, they should be allowed only during night for transportation of goods and
other purposes.
AMC sources said there is a possibility that three and four-wheelers could be banned on Relief Road, Gandhi Road, Manek Chowk and other congested areas of the walled city. Sources further anticipate that the civic body might have to face protest from the residents and traders in the area; but they add that tough actions are needed to solve traffic and parking problems. "Majority of the commercial and even residential complexes in the old city area will not be able to provide parking space as per the requirement for regularising unauthorised constructions, so such steps are a must," said an AMC official.
The AMC has also proposed to strengthen public transport system on congested roads in the walled city area to encourage people to utilise the public transport system. The civic body has proposed to start feeder route service for better utilisation of public transport system by people. Small vehicles with a seating capacity of 20 to 25 should be used regularly on roads where traffic congestion is high. This will provide efficient transportation facilities for people of the area and reduce the number of vehicles on the road in that area apart from reducing the demand for parking.
Sources said that a feeder route service on Relief Road between Lal Darwaja and Kalupur railway station and Gandhi Road will allow people to park their vehicles at designated parking space outside the area and use public transport.