7 years on, govt returns 19 local area plans, plan for central business district to AUDA, seeks revision

The government, through a notification on November 28, 2023, had returned these plans stating: “In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 76A(6)(b) of the Act (Gujarat Town Planning and Urban Development Act, 1976), the government of Gujarat hereby returns the said local area plan to the urban development department…”

It added that “after taking into consideration, objection or suggestion received”, the department submitted the “Local Area Plan to the state government for sanction”.

The government is of the opinion that the “said Local Area Plan needs to be modified” by the department, the notification stated. The modifications, sources told The Indian Express, could pivot around the public transport system in the city, including Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) and Metro Rail.

The LAPs, a brownfield project covering areas like Visat-Vishala Circle, Thaltej-Ashram Road, Nehrunagar-Andhjanmandal, Naranpura-Shastrinagar and the Central Business District West along the Ashram Road, was submitted to the government for sanction by AUDA in 2017.

The 5-6 km stretch along Ashram Road, which is the city’s commercial artery, from Usmanpura to Ellisbridge on the west bank covering 126 hectare, is the proposed CBD West.

Speaking to The Indian Express, CEO (AUDA) D P Desai said, “Several representations from private landowners were received by local authorities as well as the state government where concerns were raised… The concerns were majorly against the roads that were proposed in the LAPs, though not necessarily against all.”
The LAPs had proposed new roads to ensure connectivity to public transit stations along with plazas along the stations.

Officials said that with certain changes in the public transit system, including Metro being operational now, the LAPs need to be revised. “Since the work on LAPs was initiated in 2012-13, this needs to be revised. For instance, the alignment of Metro as well as the land use has been changed,” a senior official in the town planning department said.

The LAPs had proposed a floor space index (FSI) of 4 for 18 areas and 5.4 for CBD West. While the permissible height of buildings in CBD would depend upon the road width, the maximum permissible is 100 m or what the Airport Authority of India permitted, whichever is less.

The LAP for the CBD — being developed by HCP Design, Planning and Management Private Limited — proposed to revive this central area by leveraging citywide connectivity through BRTS, proposed Metro and development of the Sabarmati Riverfront Project.

Incentives like a higher FSI — from the normal 1.8 to 5.4 — to change in the skyline of the city had been proposed, aiming to incentivise redevelopment by allowing three times more FSI.