Sabarmati Ashram redevelopment: From midnight, key stretch on Ashram Road in Ahmedabad to be off-limits for commuters

Map of the of Ashram road with the proposed (in red) is marked for expansion of the ashram. Orange is marked for an alternate road already functional on which traffic is diverted from Subhash bridge circle to Vadaj. Purple line shows the diverted traffic from Subhash circle to Vadaj. (Image: Ahmedabad City Police)

Issuing a notification in this regard, Incharge Ahmedabad Police Commissioner Ajaykumar Chaudhary ordered the closure of the around 800-metre stretch of the Ashram Road from Saturday midnight (00:00 hours). The order also details the alternate road to be used for vehicular traffic following the closure of the stretch.

The development comes as a landmark change in the vehicular traffic of Ahmedabad city on the key Ashram Road, which connects the two ashrams founded by Mahatma Gandhi — Kochrab Ashram in 1915 and Sabarmati Ashram in 1917 — spanning over 10 kilometres. The Ashram Road remained a Central Business District till the redevelopment of Chimanlal Girdharlal road or CG Road in the early 1990s.

The notification read, “It has been decided to restore and redevelop Mahatma Gandhi Sabarmati Ashram with collaboration between Government of India and Government of Gujarat. And for that, Mahatma Gandhi Sabarmati Ashram Memorial Trust has been created. For this trust, a consultant has been appointed. The project consultant has made a plan by combining the Ashram which is (currently) divided in two parts.”

The development comes as a landmark change in the vehicular traffic of Ahmedabad city on the key Ashram Road, which connects the two ashrams founded by Mahatma Gandhi. (Express Photo by Bhupendra Rana)

It further stated: “As part of the project plan, the around 800-metre road between Batrisi Bhavan and Cargo Motors Three Roads, which is part of road between Subhash Bridge Circle and Vadaj Smashangruh, has to be permanently closed for vehicular traffic.”

The use of this 800-metre stretch for vehicular movement has been prohibited and notified as an offence under the provisions of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Gujarat Police Act. Police officials from the rank of Special/Joint/Additional Commissioner to police constable have been empowered to lodge a complaint in this regard under the notification.

With permanent closure of the stretch, the city police have also notified that for movement between Vadaj Smashangruh and Subhash Bridge Circle, vehicles can take the road between Subhash Bridge Circle, Prabodh Raval Circle, Ranip Bus Stop T point towards Cargo Motors.

The notification has, however, made one exception: People living around the Sabarmati Ashram and visitors to Sabarmati Ashram will be able to commute from Subhash Bridge Circle to Sabarmati Ashram.

A senior government official connected with the project termed the closure of the road stretch as a “major development” in implementing the redevelopment plan of the ashram.

“The road from the two ends will be closed from midnight. We have already developed two big parking plots at the two ends from where visitors can come to the Ashram while parking their vehicles. One parking plot, measuring 5,000 square metre, is near gaushala and the other, measuring 3,000 square metre, is near Khet Bhavan. The residents and commercial units near the ashram will be allowed to use the road from Subhash Bridge circle towards the ashram up to near Hotel Ashray,” the official said on Friday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had unveiled the masterplan for the Gandhi Ashram Memorial and Precinct Development project on March 12.