AHMEDABAD: A new Development Plan (DP) is in the works before the current plan’s 10-year term wraps up. However, the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (Auda) has yet to finalize this draft, despite the previous plan—Ahmedabad Development Plan 2021—expiring a year ago.
This delay stems from Auda’s decision to depart from longstanding traditions. Rather than crafting another 10-year plan, they are developing a 20-year plan, extending through to 2041, largely influenced by the potential hosting of the 2036 Olympics in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar.
For the first time, Auda is committed to creating a 20-year Development Plan instead of following the conventional 10-year timeframe. This transition toward DP 2041 correlates with the Olympic preparations.
Auda has begun collaborating with organizations like the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and is hiring additional personnel to support this initiative.
Auda’s first Development Plan draft (DP 2011) was established in 2001, followed by the second draft (DP 2021) from 2011 to 2014, which received state government approval in December 2014. The groundwork for the third iteration, DP 2041, is now underway.
In July 2022, during a board meeting, Auda sanctioned the proposal for a 20-year plan, which includes forming a ‘DP Unit’ and allocating funds for both consultants and initial setup costs.
According to Auda sources, provisions specifically geared toward the 2036 Olympics are being formulated, including the establishment of sports facilities through public-private partnerships (PPP), with a priority on land availability.
While the 2021 plan emphasized a ‘Compact City’ model focused on public transport (providing a Floor Space Index (FSI) of 4.0 along Metro/BRTS routes and 5.4 for the Ashram Road Business District), the 2041 plan aspires to project Ahmedabad as a global metropolitan hub.
Auda is likely prioritizing 20 villages within a 5-km radius of the SP Ring Road for new infrastructure developments. Although designed to span 20 years, the plan will likely include a provision for a review after a decade.
