Ahmedabad and Surat, two mammoth metros in the making

Ahmedabad and Surat will become one of the two largest metropolitan cities in India if the Gujarat Urban Development Ministry has its way.The ministry is considering the expansion of the metropolitan limits of the two cities upto 10 times their current size in order to utilise the land properly, co-ordinate infrastructure projects and address region-wide environmental, social, and economic issues. Once this happens, Ahmedabad will overtake big metros like Hyderabad (7,500sqkm),and Bangalore (8,500 sq km) in terms of area.The plan is to increase the size of Ahmedabad from its current (approx) 1,250 sq km to about 10,000 sq km, while Surat will get bigger from the approximate 800 sq km to 4,000 sq km. This means the outer boundary of the Ahmedabad metropolitan area will be extended till Gandhinagar, Nal Sarovar, Viramgam and Khambhat, while the Surat Metropolitan area will be extended till Navsari.
The state government wants to decongest and curb the haphazard development around the two fast growing cities. For this, the ministry had sent a proposal to the CEPT University to prepare a project report titled “regional planning strategy for Ahmedabad and Surat.” The University, after a year-long study and analysis, recently submitted a detailed report on the regionalisation of the two cities. K M Panchal, Chief Town Planning Officer in the Urban Development Ministry confirmed that he has received the report. “The government had asked CEPT to prepare a report on further expansion of the city limits of Ahmedabad and Surat. The final decision will be taken at the Cabinet meeting.” Asked by when the ministry is expected to implement the project,Panchal said it is upto the Cabinet to decide.“A lot of development is taking place in the peripheral areas of Ahmedabad and Surat. In some areas, development is taking place at the cost of proper basic infrastructure such as road, water and drainage facility. Bopal is an apt example of this haphazard development,” said Professor Utpal Sharma of CEPT.An expert in urban planning, it was Prof Sharma who prepared the report.
The responsibility of development in this area would be given to the local Urban Development Authority (UDA).“In big metros like Bangalore and Hyderabad, the metropolitan authorities develop the infrastructure. However, the UDA in Ahmedabad and Surat can be entrusted with the responsibility by giving them more powers and little restructuring,” said Prof. Sharma.
Experts on the subject feel the idea is good, but far-fetched. “The idea seems to be too far-fetched.But this can be done with the help of a regional body. Utilities nowadays are moving out of the domain of UDA. Therefore, there is a need to set up a body which can improve connectivity, be it roads or residential or commercial activities,” said Shashikant Kumar, director of the Consulting and Research firm Green Eminent.Kumar is of the view that the development should not be at the cost of food security. “Regional planning has its own negatives. Development should not affect agriculture in the region,” he said.