Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad (ⁱ/ˈɑːmᵻdəbɑːd/; also known as Amdavad Gujarati pronunciation: [ˈəmdɑːvɑːd]) is the largest city and former capital of Gujarat. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ahmedabad district and the seat of the Gujarat High Court. With a population of more than 6.3 million and an extended population of 7.2 million, it is the sixth largest city and seventh largest metropolitan area of India. Ahmedabad is located on the banks of the Sabarmati River, 30 km (19 mi) from the state capital Gandhinagar.

Ahmedabad has emerged as an important economic and industrial hub in India. It is the second largest producer of cotton in India, and its stock exchange is the country's second oldest. Cricket is a popular sport in Ahmedabad, which houses the 54,000-seat Sardar Patel Stadium. The effects of liberalisation of the Indian economy have energized the city's economy towards tertiary sector activities like commerce, communication and construction. Ahmedabad's increasing population has resulted in an increase in the construction and housing industries resulting in recent development of skyscrapers.

Sabarmati Riverfront

Sabarmati Riverfront is a waterfront developed along banks of Sabarmati river in the city of Ahmedabad, India. It is being developed by Sabarmati River Front Development Corporation Limited (SRFDCL), a special purpose vehicle of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation for project.

History

The first known proposal for developing the riverfront was given in 1961 by prominent citizens of the city. French architect Bernard Kohn proposed an ecological valley in Sabarmati basin stretched from Dharoi Dam to Gulf of Cambay in 1960s. He distanced himself from the project citing difference between his proposal and the project being implemented.

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) set up the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation Ltd (SRFDCL) in May 1997 funded by central government of India with a seed capital of ₹10 million (US$150,000) and was charged with the responsibility of developing the approximately 10.4 km stretch along the river in the city.

The project has encountered several delays due to concerns regarding water level, flooding, rehabilitation of displaced slum dwellers and met with severe opposition from activists involved with slum rehabilitation. However, the process of obtaining land for the development, through clearance and reclamation has been substantially completed. It is also the largest slum displacing project of the city till date.