SLIDE 1:

GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. TODAY WE’RE GOING TO PRESENT AN ANALYSIS ON SUSTAINABILITY

OF AHMEDABAD.

SLIDE 2:

STARTING OFF WITH A BRIEF INTRODUCTION ON AHMEDABAD.

AHMEDABAD IS ONE OF THE MAJOR CITIES OF INDIA, AND THE LARGEST CITY OF GUJRAT SITUATED
ON THE EASTERN AND WESTERN BANKS OF SABARMATI RIVER DIVING THE CITY INTO TWO PARTS
EASTERN SIDE BEING THE OLDER ONE.

TALKING ABOUT THE GEOGRAPHICAL BOUNDARIES, THIS HERE IS THE BOUNDARY OF AHMEDABAD
AS PER THE AHMEDABAD URBAN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY COVERING AN AREA OF 465 SQ KMS.
WHEREAS THIS VERY AREA LIES UNDER THE AHMEDABAD MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

SLIDE 3:-

TALKING ABOUT CLIMATE, AHMEDABAD HAS A HOT SEMI-ARID CLIMATE, WITH MARGINALLY LESS
RAINFAILL REQUIRED FOR A TROPICAL SAVANNA CLIMATE.

THREE MAIN SEASONS ARE, SUMMER, MONSOON AND WINTER. APART FROM MONSOON, THE
CLIMATE IS EXTREMELY DRY.

THE WEATHER IS HOT FROM MARCH TO JUNE AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE GIVEN TABLE.  The
average summer maximum is 41.6 °C (106.9 °F), and the average minimum is 19.5 °C (67.1 °F).

 From November to February, the average maximum temperature is 32.9 °C (91.2° F), the average
minimum is 12.4 °C (54.3 °F), and the climate is extremely dry.

COLD NOTHERLY WINDS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MILD CHILL IN JANUARY.

THE SOUTHWEST MONSOON BRINGS A HUMID CLIMATE FROM MID JUNE TO MID SEPT.

THE AVERAGE ANNUAL RAINFAL IS ABOUT 800MM.

SLIDE 4:-

NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO THROW SOME LIGHT ON THE DEMOGRAPHICS.

At the 2011 Census of India Ahmedabad had a population of 5,633,927, making it the fifth most

populous city in India.

The urban agglomeration :- here’s the definition of the term. However,

The urban agglomeration centred upon Ahmedabad, then having a population of 6,357,693, now

estimated at 7,650,000, is the seventh most populous urban agglomeration in India.

In the mid-1970s and early 1980s, around 28% of the total population were below poverty line which
now is reduced to 10%... which seems like progress.
Talking about informal settlements, around 66% of the current population of ahmedabad, lives in
formal settlements.

Studies says there are around 700 informal settlements in the city which habibates rest 34% of the
current population.

SLIDE 5:-

Let’s have a look at the growth of Ahmedabad since 1411 AD till 2012 AD shown on this map here...
we can see how the boundaries of ahmedabad kept expanding over these 6 centuries to what is it
now. One of the mega-cities of India.

SLIDE 6:-

which brings me to the current zoning proposed by the AUDA (Ahmedabad urban development
authority).

SLIDE 7:-

Before we move any further and talk about sustainable parameters of Ahmedabad, I would like to
throw some light on the question… WHAT SUSTAINABILITY ACTUALLY IS?

It is estimated that 50% of the world’s population now live in cities. With this migration into large
urban centres, the difficulty of meeting the basic needs of millions has become an ever-increasing
problem.

SLIDE 8:-

Overpopulation, excessive consumption of resources, pollution, and depletion of resources have

presented environmental and health challenges in major cities. The need has never been greater to
find solutions and reimagine urban landscapes.

SLIDE 9:-

Let’s try to jot down What makes a city sustainable or what are the elements of a sustainable city?

1. Access to public resources:-

The wellbeing of residents is critical in sustainable cities, which means guaranteed access to
quality education, safe health centres, easy to access public transportation, garbage
collection services, safety and good air quality, among other modern living necessities.
SLIDE 10:-
2. Urban Renewal actions:-
The renovation of public spaces is another fundamental characteristic of sustainable
cities. Public streets, squares, parks, urban spaces as well as modern irrigation and waste
management practices are vital aspects of sustainable living. They help preserve the cultural
heritage and identity of a city through renovation and restoration.
SLIDE 11:-

3. Reduction of CO2 Emissions:-

 The reduction of CO2 and other poisonous gases harmful to the ozone layer is perhaps the
most significant measure of a city’s environmental commitment. Lowering CO2 levels can be
achieved through the long-term shift towards using renewable energies, vertical gardens, a
good supply of alternative means of transport (e.g. bicycles, trains and electric buses) and
household commitment to water and energy saving.

SLIDE 12:-

4) Favoring ethical consumption

It is now well understood that over-consumption leads to excessive depletion of natural resources,
greater waste and harmful by-products associated in the manufacturing process. Therefore it is
critical that sustainable cities must promote and encourage ethical consumption, local food
production and fair trade that both supports local supply chains and are environmentally friendly.

5) Reduce, reuse and recycle

Managers of a sustainable city must raise awareness about the importance of recycling and
responsible consumption, and create infrastructure that allows for minimal waste. And change is
possible in a short space of time if cities show leadership.

SLIDE 14 :-

Now let us examine ahmedabad on basis of the pointers we just mentioned as the parameters of a
sustainable city for which we we’ll be needing the development plan of ahmedabad once again.

SLIDE 15:-

On the basis of it’s accessibility to the public resources.... can we say it is well connected to the
public resources?

What makes the public resources accessible to the residents of a city? The road network if I am not
wrong? Let’s have a look at the existing and proposed road network of Ahmedabad.

As we can see through this plan showing us the road network of the very city, we can see… that the
all the residential zones, industrial zones, commercial zones and so on are very well connected
through major or minor arterials or major streets within the area coming under AMC (Ahmedabad
Municipal Council)… but when we look at the bigger picture which is the area coming under AUDA
(Ahmedabad urban development authority), A vast road network was proposed on 2011, but
existing roads connecting the outskirts to the main city were very less in number. Hence on this
parameter we can conclude that Ahmedabad cannot be considered completely sustainable when it
comes to its accessibility to public resources.

SLIDE 16:-

However, Ahmedabad is rapidly growing and this issue won’t be a problem in future, considering the
analysis based on second pointer we mentioned earlier as a parameter of a sustainable city. Urban
renewal actions. To check this parameter, let’s start off with the evolving street network across
Ahmedabad from its existing development.

SLIDE 17:-
Speaking of existing development, this picture shows us the existing built form and density of
Ahmedabad.

SLIDE 18:-

Whereas, this one over there, shows the proposed built form and density….

SLIDE 19:-

Now to understand the difference between these two, here is an overlapped picture of proposed
and existing built form with respect to the density of Ahmedabad.

SLIDE 20:-

Here are some other projects which justify the urban renewal actions taken by the authorities of
Ahmedabad.

1. CG Road development (1994-1997) :-

C G Road Redevelopment is a comprehensive urban design project which sought to resolve the conflicts in street
usage between a variety of users in an efficient and effective manner. During the late 1980’s C. G. Road emerged
as the prime commercial street in Ahmedabad with high property prices. However, the street itself, with a 100 ft.
right of way and a length of about 3.5 kms. Was no more than a 40 ft. wide patch of asphalt with street lights and
unpaved earth on either sides. Traffic had increased considerably, parking was haphazard and the street was
unsafe for pedestrians. Here are some architectural drawings we could get our hands on by HCP.

In August 1994, HCP was asked by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation to design C.G. Road to increase its
efficiency, to make it safer and to make it beautiful, while accommodating the conflicting demands on the street.
The design addressed street layouts, detailed design of pavements, structural design, landscape, lighting, traffic
and parking management, integration of water supply, drainage, storm water drainage and communication
infrastructure. Detailed design inputs included providing parking for 400 cars and 1,200 scooters, a 22 ft wide two
lane carriage ways on both sides of the road median, about a 14 feet wide pedestrian facility with local vehicle
accessibility.

SLIDE 21:-

2. Central Business District :-

AUDA recently completed the draft Local Area Plan to develop the Central Business District (CBD) along Ashram
Road. Since 1960s, this 127 hectare of area between Usmanpura and Town Hall on both sides of Ashram Road is
viewed as the commercial hub of the city. However, due to restrictive zoning and lack of planning focus, this area
has not been able to achieve its full potential; even as the city has rapidly expanded adding glitzy office buildings,
hotels and apartments in the outskirts. This over here is the existing areal view of the concerened area.

SLIDE 22:-

The HCP team was engaged by the authority to prepare a Local Area Plan for the CBD. This plan proposes to
revive and rejuvenate this central area by leveraging citywide connectivity through BRTS, the proposed
Metro and the development of the Sabarmati Riverfront Project. The plan proposes to increase FSI from 1.8 to
5.4, increase the street network and public ROW from 22% to about 45% and increase the green cover from 20%
to 40% of the total area. The new development regulations for this area are reformed to incentivize
redevelopment by allowing three times higher FSI, removal of ground coverage requirements and changes in the
parking requirements at ground level. At the same time they are also designed to create pedestrian friendly
environment by requiring buildings to align their façades along the roadside and requiring 6m wide arcade and
active frontage for pedestrians. 

SLIDE 23:-

These are some of the proposed views of central business district.

 SLIDE 24:-

3. Sabarmati Riverfront Development:-

 As is true for cities across the world, the river became Ahmedabad’s lifeline for centuries. However, over time, as
the city grew, the natural course of the river was encroached upon and the riverbed served as a backyard for
private plots. Unrestricted flow of industrial and domestic waste polluted the river, making it unsafe for people
living nearby in informal settlements. These settlements were already prone to flooding during the monsoon.  

SLIDE 25:-

The Sabarmati Riverfront Development (SRFD) Project, now under implementation, started in 1996 with a
feasibility report and a concept plan. An innovative self-financing method was proposed to generate revenue and
reduce the burden on the government. A separate company called the Sabarmati Riverfront Development
Corporation was created for execution of the project. 

SLIDE 26:-

The SRFD Project not only provides protection to the city from flooding but also reclamation of land. More than
85% of the land made available by the riverfront development is allocated for free and open public use. This
includes more than 20 km of pedestrian promenades on each bank and a 29 km long road network that has made
the riverfront easily accessible and well connected to the surrounding areas and the city as a whole. People of
the city now enjoy water-related recreational activities and get access to lush green parks and gardens which
constitute about 50% of the reclaimed land.

The SRFD project boosts social and traditional activities in the heart of Ahmedabad. A well-organized Dhobi Ghat
(facilities for washer men) incorporating 168 formal washing spaces and a Riverfront Market (Local Sunday
Market) for about 1600 local vendors of the city has been developed as a part of the project. More than 10,000
families living in deliberated conditions of flood-prone riverbed have been rehabilitated in formal housing, under
direct supervision of the High Court of Gujarat. The project has also led to broader transformation of the
surrounding areas such as the central districts along Ashram Road and many adjacent precincts. 

SLIDE 27:-

Here are a few proposed views of the sabarmati riverfront development.

SLIDE 28:-

AUDA's Comprehensive Development Plan 2021, with its focus on compact and sustainable development, has
identified 400 m wide corridors along the public transit corridor (BRTS and Metro Line) as Transit Oriented Zone
(TOZ). HCP has been appointed by AUDA to prepare the TOZ plans for additional six corridors covering about 51
kms length along the existing BRTS and proposed Metro Line.

TOZ is a zone planned to reduce the dependence on private vehicles and to encourage pedestrian friendly
environment and the use of public transport. Typically, a TOZ would entail compact, mixed-use development
with thriving residential, commercial and entertainment activities at a comfortable walking distance from transit
stations, designed to maximize the use of public transport. It would further promote compact Transit Oriented
Development to help coordinate land use and transportation. 

SLIDE 29, 30 AND 31:-

HCP is engaged by AUDA to prepare Local Area Plans (LAPs) for more than 70 kms of TOZ corridors. These LAPs
are to transform the development within the TOZ corridors by incentivizing redevelopment and encouraging
compact development by increasing the FSI from 1.8 to 4.0. At the same time they also identify additional land to
be taken into public RIGHT OF WAY (ROW) to add new streets, to improve pedestrian connectivity and at the
same time, increase the green cover. This will enhance accessibility through direct connectivity with BRTS and
upcoming Metro. The HCP team is also invovled in preparing development regulations which would improve the
built form along the transit corridors through features such as arcades, plazas and public amenities near the
transit stations.   
 SLIDE 32:-

The historic Kankaria Lake has been a part of Ahmedabad since its foundation was laid by its then ruler Ahmed
Shah in 1451. Originally planned as a green destination, it suffered due to heavy vehicular traffic encircling the
lakeside road, unorganized and informal activities in the area as well as an unkempt environment.

SLIDE 33:-

Initiated by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, the primary objective of the Kankaria Lakefront Development
was to transform this city-scale public space with efficient and robust infrastructure. The strategies to implement
this transformation included creating complete pedestrian zones encircling the lake's edge, developing an outer
ring road by strengthening the existing road network, creating approximately 6 km of access streets as well as
new access points to the lakefront, enhancing recreational potential by improving public facilities, preserving
historic buildings and encouraging overall development within the precinct.

The pedestrian promenade is lined with gardens, food courts and organized vending spaces. The design of the
promenade includes 2 km-long uninterrupted pedestrian zone along the edge of the lake lined by street
furniture. The street furniture zone comprises trees, lights, seating facilities and dustbins act as a buffer between
the pedestrian zone and the cycle track. Amongst the various recreational activities provided, the mini train
circling around the lake is the most popular. While designing, great attention was paid to the detailing of
sidewalks, carriageways and on-street parking.

.
NOW GIVING A BREIF ON ZONING OF AHMEDABAD,

1. THIS THIN BELT YOU SEE AT THE OUTSKIRTS OF AHMEDADBAD MUNICIPAL COUNCIL IS THE
RESIDENTIAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING ZONE.