Ahmedabad gears up for an ‘abridged’ Ashram Road

Already a popular tourist destination in Gujarat, the Ashram on an estimate attracts around 2,000-5,000 visitors daily. The number jumps to 10,000-15,000 on the weekends and during the vacations. Ahmedabad-based HCP Design, Planning and Management Private Ltd. led by architect and urban planner Bimal Patel is the consultant for the project, which is being implemented by the central and the state governments.

On November 7, the Ahmedabad city police commissioner issued a notification based on the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation’s decision to close the city’s busiest and oldest commercial artery — the Ashram Road, named so as it connected the Kocharab Ashram on the southern end to Sabarmati Ashram on its northern end.

The development has not only started impacting the commuting pattern of the Central Business District (CBD) of the city but is also set to give shape to the project, which aims to consolidate the ashram premise on both sides of the road to its original 55 acres from the five acres currently known as the Gandhi Ashram.

Under the project plan, the 800-metre road between Batrisi Bhavan and Cargo Motors Teen Rasta, which is the stretch between Subhash Bridge Circle and Vadaj Smashangruh (crematorium), has been permanently closed for vehicular traffic. People breaking the barrier will face criminal action under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Gujarat Police Act, according to the notification.

Of detours and dust storms

Since the stretch between Cargo Motors Teen Rasta to Ashray Hotel near Subhash Bridge Circle has been closed, the authorities have provided an alternate option of going from Subhash Bridge Circle to Cargo Motors Teen Rasta for to-and-fro traffic.

Simply put, someone coming from Vadaj crematorium will have to take a left turn from Cargo Motors Teen Rasta towards the new 18-metre road built by the AMC towards Ranip Bus Stop, take a right towards Prabodh Raval Circle and then further take another right to reach Subhash Bridge Circle.

Similarly, someone coming from Subhash Bridge Circle will have to reach Prabodh Raval Circle, take a left, reach the ‘T’ junction near Ranip Bus Station and take further left to reach the Cargo Motors Teen Rasta. From here, one can continue on the Ashram Road via the Vadaj crematorium or take a left turn to go towards the western side of Sabarmati Riverfront.

A town planning road opposite Ashray Hotel passing by Surya Nagar Society towards Cargo Motors Teen Rasta which would earlier be used only by the local residents is now a thoroughfare. With the sudden and unexpected rise in traffic, the residents of surrounding colonies and areas have been complaining of the ‘dust storm’ caused by the hundreds of vehicles using the road. The town planning road passes by the Hariom Colony, Dungarpura ni Chali, Marathi Vaas, Suryanagar Society, Kasturba Smrutikunj Society etc.

The residents of Suryanagar Society had even blocked the road temporarily on the first day after the closure notice was issued for the Ashram Road.

Sharing the reason behind the residents’ ire, a retired government doctor and Suryanagar Society resident Dr Jitendra Shrimali said, “Due to increased traffic, the road was full of dust and as the vehicles passed through it in large numbers, it just left dirt everywhere. Our houses were filled with dust and we had to immediately install curtains on the verandah to stop the dust from reaching our living rooms and kitchen. It was such a situation where one can fall sick.”

Dr Shrimali’s wife Hasumatiben said, “In the first couple of days, we got immensely harassed. The road remained full of dust which was entering our homes with vehicles passing through the stretch day and night. During the night, several trucks also kept passing through the road.” Shrimali said that following their protest, the authorities of the Gandhi Ashram Redevelopment Project and AMC started renovating the road as well.

Another local resident, Jesingbhai Parmar (80), a veteran Gandhian, who lives in Kasturba Smrutikunj Society next to Suryanagar Society, visits Mahatma Gandhi’s residence in Sabarmati Ashram — Hriday Kunj — every Friday and does weaving for two hours.“In the first two days, we faced such a dusty atmosphere that it cannot be put in words. I sprinkled water twice — in the morning and evening — to mitigate the situation, but it wasn’t enough. Now, the corporation has dug up the road to renovate it. Although temporary, it is causing difficulty for us to run our daily errands,” Parmar said.

“They have dug the road to renovate it, but in the process they also snapped the water connections. That is causing another set of trouble for many of us,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ramesh Solanki and Lalji Dabhi — residents of Dungarpura ni Chali — said that they are planning to make a representation to the AMC to install speed-breakers on the road.

“A large number of vehicles pass through the road by the side of our chawl. They drive so fast … it can cause accidents. On the second day of the road closure, a youth from our chawl was hit by a two-wheeler. Many children are living in the chawl and they come out to play. We are concerned about their safety. A number of big vehicles such as trucks and buses are also plying on the road. We are planning to make a representation to the AMC to install speed-breakers on the road,” said Solanki, backed by Dabhi. Both Solanki and Dabhi are rickshaw drivers. Solanki said that as the road towards Ashram is closed for the project, many tourists who come to see the Ashram also get stranded as they are dropped near Ashray Hotel and do not know how to reach the Ashram.

Measures taken

The authorities have installed tin sheets on either side of the closed 800-metre stretch between which the new Ashram is taking shape. Security guards have also been stationed at both the ends to ensure that the road remains closed.

Temporary parking arrangements have been made near Abhay Ghat and behind Magan Niwas of the Ashram, and near Khet Bhavan for visitors and the Ashram staff. Visitors coming from Subhash Bridge Circle can take a left turn from Ashray Hotel to reach the temporary parking facility. Additionally, a temporary gate has also been set up near the parking facility from where the visitors can enter the Ashram.

People coming from the Vadaj Circle side can park their vehicles at the parking facility near Khet Bhavan and visit the Ashram.

Meanwhile, the staff of Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust (SAPMT) which houses the Hriday Kunj, have been allowed by authorities to bring their vehicles to the parking inside the Ashram. SAPMT has around 40 employees.

“Enough arrangements have been made by the authorities to ensure that no inconvenience is caused to anyone visiting the Ashram,” said an office bearer of the SAPMT. He, however, admits, “It is true that some visitors do face problems after auto-rickshaw drivers drop them near Ashray Hotel instead of dropping them at the parking near Magan Niwas.”

Talking about the biggest change they are experiencing following the road closure, the office bearer said, “We have started getting a lot of calls from people on whether the Ashram is also closed or not. Before coming, they want to ensure that the Ashram is open. We tell them that only the (stretch of) Ashram Road has been closed and not the Ashram.”

What will change

The current Ashram, which is managed by SAPMT, is spread over only five acres. Many other buildings of the original Ashram are on the other side of the 800-metre road stretch. The original Ashram was spread over 120 acres with 63 structures, of which the redeveloped Ashram will reclaim 55 acres. Now, only 36 of the structures are remaining, which will be restored to their original condition.

“With the road closing, those buildings could be synchronised with the extended Ashram campus without division caused by the road,” said an official.

For the implementation of the project, the Gujarat government has established Mahatma Gandhi Sabarmati Ashram Memorial Trust. A Governing Council and an Executive Council for the supervision and implementation of the project are chaired by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry and former Chief Principal Secretary to the Gujarat CM K Kailashnathan, respectively.

A top officer connected with the project said, “Within 7-10 days, the 800-metre road will be dug up for further work on the project.”

Sharing more project details, the officer quoted above said that the redeveloped premise will have its main gate towards the closed end of Ashram road near Abhay Ghat on the south side. “The parking for the redeveloped Ashram will be set up at the ground next to Abhay Ghat. Multiple facilities such as toilets, souvenir shop, food court, Khadi Bhandar etc will also be set up along the main gate.The other small gate will be set up near the current Khet Bhavan.”

“We are expecting around 85-90% visitors to the Ashram will come from the main gate near Abhay Ghat. Whereas, around 10-15% visitors will come from the other small gate near present Khet Bhavan,” the officer added.