Ahmedabad Then And Now

The former capital of Gujarat, Ahmedabad is a dynamic city where business is a prominent part of life. Situated along the banks of the Sabarmati River, the city is named after the ruler Sultan Ahmed Shah who ruled during the 15th century. The Sabarmati River divides Ahmedabad into two parts, the east and the west, and they are connected to each other by nine bridges, amongst which two were constructed before independence. The residents of this city are also known as Amdavadis and are known to be born with the business mentality. This dynamic city is the largest in Gujarat, area-wise. Founded in 1411 AD, Ahmedabad is the seventh-largest metropolitan area of India.

The administrative headquarter of Ahmedabad district and the judicial capital of Gujarat offers great trade and commerce opportunities with some of the renowned educational and cultural institutes. Known for their cotton production in the state, it is the home for skilled yet cheap labour. This financial capital of the state has seen the development of many industrial locations leading to a rise in the residential colonies and has grown a lot in over the last 8 decades. The development of Gujarat International Finance Tec-City GIFT, India’s first international financial services centre between Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad is the start of creating world-class infrastructures in India. It has become the focal point for domestic as well as global financial, IT and ITeS companies. The International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) is established as a part of the GIFT project and is spread across 261 acres. The GIFT city will prove to be an important catalyst in the further development of Ahmedabad and its neighbouring suburbs. Over 2 lakh job opportunities are believed to be generated by this project and become the perfect example of sustainable development. The downfall faced by the city from 1970 was hard. The growing poverty, slums and unemployment hit the city’s growth hard but Ahmedabad has come a long way since then and has become one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. Initiatives like the Slum Networking Project in the 1990s helped the rehabilitation of about 60 slums which consisted of approximately 13,000 households. Plus, the makeover of the infrastructure around the city boosted its growth. Many educational and research institutes were born and have made Ahmedabad an education, science and technology hub.

The growth of Ahmedabad has led to an increase in demand for properties and in turn, led to an increase in the construction of residential as well as commercial properties. Major industries here are IT, automobile, textile, pharmaceutical, chemical, dairy, jewellery and others. A great combination of traditional and modernized lifestyle can be found here. On top of everything, the effortless connectivity to Mumbai makes travelling easier. Travelling in and around the city is hassle-free as there is a good roadway connection between the cities. The Gujarat State Road Transportation Corporation (GSRTC) offers excellent services making commuting smooth and easy.

The in-demand cities of Ahmedabad were once rural and isolated regions and today are bustling with new infrastructural growth. Cities like Shahibaug, Bodakdev, Satellite, Vastrapur, Thaltej, Prahladnagar, Maninagar, Gota, Vaishnodevi, Shela, South Bopal and Sarkhej are amongst the hotspot regions. Opportunities for trade and commerce will grow exponentially with the upcoming Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC). The upcoming plans like Ahmedabad Metro, New Ahmedabad Airport which is the largest in the country, numerous budget-friendly accommodations and luxury projects are set to boost the growth further. In addition to that, reputed institutes like IIM, NID and MICA attract talented young crowd and professionals to the city. Growth in industrial development, quality educational institutes, job opportunities, and the development of the residential real estate market will transform Ahmedabad into a flourishing city of India.