The ambitious Rs 2,383.59 crore redevelopment of Ahmedabad’s Kalupur Railway Station, part of a larger infrastructure overhaul, is creating a ripple effect across local businesses, severely impacting street vendors and small shop owners who have been pillars of the area for decades. From fruit sellers to small eateries, hundreds of livelihoods are hanging in the balance due to the closure of major access roads and traffic diversions surrounding the station.
Take the case of an 80-year-old fruit vendor who, for five decades, has operated just outside the station, her livelihood now under threat. Like many others, her income has plummeted since a 200-metre road stretch was closed off, and sales have dropped drastically as foot traffic dwindled. For small business owners like her, the government’s redevelopment notification is a harsh blow, as they struggle to adapt to reduced customer flow.
The station revamp has diverted several major bus routes, affecting over 161 AMTS buses and seven BRTS routes, further reducing customer access to local businesses. For many small vendors, this translates to reduced sales and increased uncertainty in the face of growing expenses. While urban renewal projects are essential, the question arises whether this transformation could have been executed in phases, minimising the impact on businesses. Several shopkeepers argue that partition walls, erected around the construction site, have drastically reduced their income, with some eateries experiencing a 50% drop in sales. Without sufficient lighting or easy access, customers are avoiding the area altogether, adding to their distress.
This redevelopment project is designed to accommodate future growth, with projections of 3.2 lakh visitors per day by 2075, along with metro and bullet train integration. However, sustainable urban planning demands more than infrastructure upgrades. A balance must be struck between long-term development goals and the immediate survival of local businesses. The loss of these vendors not only threatens livelihoods but also raises concerns about the future of small businesses in rapidly urbanising areas. The station’s transformation is undeniably a step towards modernisation, but the price paid by the local community is steep. As businesses suffer, so does the delicate ecosystem of small entrepreneurs who have thrived on the bustling traffic of the station, leaving behind a complex question of sustainable and inclusive urban growth.
