Rs 145 cr lined up for circular railway in Ahmedabad

A sum of Rs 145 crore will be spent on the proposed circular railway project to resolve the complex transport problem in Ahmedabad and plans are afoot to run high-speed buses to strengthen the public transport network of the city. This was declared at a symposium on 'Gujarat of my dream - development of greater Ahmedabad,' held in the city.

Surendrabhai Patel, chairman, Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA), said at the symposium, "The city is facing an acute public transport and traffic problem but half of the problem would be solved if residents of the city develop traffic sense."

He, further, said that soon the city will have high-speed buses running from Kalupur to different parts of the city as Kalupur is the gateway of the city. This will certainly reduce traffic congestion in the area.

Patel said that the government is developing the Sardar Patel Ring Road around the city and construction of bridges and railway underpass is progressing at a rapid speed.

He further dwelled upon the water scarcity being faced by the city. The government is committed to develop 10 more water bodies in different parts of the city beside Vastrapur Lake, Patel added.

On the issue of ever increasing population and proliferation of slums, Patel said that the government is working out plans to relocate slum dwellers from the periphery of the Sabarmati river.

On infrastructure, noted architect B V Doshi said that just erecting multi-storeyed structures in AUDA area does not mean development is taking place. He stressed on the need to conserve greenery and water bodies of the city, especially those on the western sides.

On the issue of making Ahmedabad a metro, Doshi said the government should do some constructive work to place Ahmedabad in the metro category, the status achieved by Pune, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Bangalore beside Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.

Ahmedabad still remains in other small towns category. Doshi emphasised on a permanent address for the central business district (CBD). Ahmedabad's CBD has kept shifting from Ashram Road to CG Road to now to the Sarkej-Gandhinagar highway.

He further said that local transport and public health facility should improve further for the growth of the city.

Kartikey Sarabhai, chairman, Nehru Foundation, said that the government is talking about bringing Ahmedabad to an international city standard but the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) should first provide basic facility such as drinking water.

Apart from this, AMC should look into sanitation, water bodies development and development of roads, islands and parks.