In Focus: Ahmedabad

When you are on the lookout for a new apartment/home you want nothing but the best right? So what makes a place worthy of this honour? Connectivity, transportation, proximity to airport, energy generation, infrastructure, climate, waste management and recreation spots. Ahmedabad is a premium destination to buy your dream home because of the abundance of availability of these factors and much more. We give you a lowdown about everything you need to know about this vibrant city of Gujarat.

Ahmedabad, which is located on the banks of the Sabarmati River, is the former capital of Gujarat. This vibrant city is the largest in the state in terms of area. It has undergone a huge evolution in infrastructure as well as real estate ever since Ahmed Shah I of the Muzaffarid dynasty laid its foundation way back in 1411.

Gandhi’s hub and post-independence glory

Ahmedabad was the place where India’s first proper organised independence movement against the British was initiated by Mahatma Gandhi. In 1917, he built the Sabarmati Ashram on the banks of the Sabarmati River and began his world-famous Dandi march in 1930 from this very ashram. After India was a free country, the state province of Bombay (now Mumbai) was split up and Ahmedabad was named the capital of Gujarat on May 1, 1960. Several educational and research institutions cropped up and it came to be widely known as an important base for those interested in higher education, science and technology.

Against all odds it rose like a phoenix

From the 1970s, Ahmedabad started to lose its importance as it was no longer the capital of Gujarat. Poverty, unemployment and slums were on a rampant rise. But this city has stood the test of time and emerged into one of the fastest developing cities in India. Its roads, railways and infrastructure underwent a massive makeover during the 1990s. Particularly significant during these times was the largely successful Slum Networking Project which undertook the rehabilitation of 60 slums (roughly 13,000 households).

Life in the city

Ahmedabad is the second largest producer of cotton in India and is home to the humongous Sardar Patel Motera Stadium. It boasts of state-of-the-art infrastructure in its hospitals and is a thriving market for property investment. The most popular and expensive areas to live in the city include Bodakdev, Satellite, Thaltej and SG Highway. With rates escalating as high as Rs 7,000 per square feet Bodakdev is the most premium out of all these areas.

Connectivity

Those travelling within and from Ahmedabad can avail the following means of transportation.

The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport is approximately 15 km from the city centre. It caters to domestic as well as international flights and is the busiest airport in Gujarat.

Local commuters in Ahmedabad can choose between railways and roadways. Janmarg the bus service is operated via Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited. Those who wish to travel out of Gujarat can also use National Highway 48. It passes through Ahmedabad and connects it with Delhi and Mumbai. There are many other highways that connect various places within the state.

Upcoming projects

Currently, the Ahmedabad Metro is under construction and operations are slated to begin from 2019.

There are plans to build the largest airport in India in Ahmedabad. It is currently named Dholera International Airport but its final name is touted to be New Ahmedabad Airport. Work will commence in 2019.

A large number of real estate projects catering to the urban middle class and affluent class are also under construction in the city.