The rapid expansion of Ahmedabad in 2020 has underscored a significant challenge: ensuring that peripheral areas integrated into the city’s new municipal limits are adequately equipped with essential social amenities.
This includes crucial infrastructure such as sports facilities, schools, primary health centres, parks, gardens, and pedestrian spaces. A comprehensive study conducted by the faculty of urban planning at Cept University, along with the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (Auda), scrutinised the town planning schemes (TP schemes) of Shilaj, Gota, Vejalpur, Naroda North, Vastral, and Aslali. The focus was on assessing the allocation of land for social amenities. The analysis revealed a stark reality: amenities like open spaces occupy less than 10% of the reconstituted land (excluding roads). The situation is particularly dire in Shilaj, where only 2% of the area is allocated for social amenities, and in Naroda North, where the allocation is a mere 3%. Gota fared slightly better, with 5% of land available for social amenities, while Vejalpur allocated 8%.
The scarcity of parks, gardens, and sports facilities in these peripheral areas is even more concerning. Although these amenities are well-distributed within the core areas of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), they are noticeably lacking in the city’s outskirts. Only 57% and 59% of households have access to sports facilities and parks, respectively. “This disparity arises because these facilities are considered discretionary by the AMC and are not included in the service purview of municipalities and gram panchayats,” the researchers explained. These findings were presented at the Institute of Town Planners India Conference held in Ahmedabad last week.
Typically, a TP scheme recommends that the reconstituted land should comprise 60% private land, 20% for roads, and 5% each for common public amenities, open spaces, land for sale, and economically weaker section (EWS) housing. Currently, the AMC has allocated 2,562 hectares of land for public use according to Auda’s 2021 development plan report. However, despite significant developments, the full potential of these areas remains untapped. The Cept research suggests that some of these peripheral areas fall within the city’s growth zones, where social amenity hubs can be effectively implemented through TP schemes. This presents an opportunity for the AMC and Auda to address the disparity in social amenities and ensure that the rapid urban expansion of Ahmedabad is matched with adequate infrastructure to support its growing population.
Addressing this gap is critical for fostering a balanced and inclusive urban development, ensuring that all residents of Ahmedabad, regardless of their location, have access to essential social amenities.
