- Amit Shah launches ₹404.63-crore development package spanning clean mobility, housing, digital governance and water security
- 155 new electric buses, 101 Oxygen Parks and Mission 5 Million Trees redefine Ahmedabad’s sustainable future
- ₹1.25-crore tree plantation movement targets 20% green cover in the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency by 2029
- Jal Jeevan Mission, BRTS expansion and smart civic services accelerate next-generation urban transformation
- Mega infrastructure drive reinforces Ahmedabad’s emergence as a benchmark for climate-resilient and citizen-centric development
NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, JULY 12
A city once synonymous with enterprise is now scripting a new chapter in sustainable urban development. Blending green infrastructure with smart governance, clean mobility and future-ready public amenities, Ahmedabad on Sunday unveiled a sweeping ₹404.63-crore civic transformation package that promises to reshape the city’s environmental and urban landscape while reinforcing its position as one of India’s fastest-evolving metropolitan centres.
Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 29 civic projects, including 22 completed works worth ₹304.99 crore and seven new projects valued at ₹99.64 crore, covering electric public transport, housing, drinking water infrastructure, digital governance, road connectivity, environmental conservation and public welfare. The programme was attended by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and senior public representatives.
The centrepiece of the initiative was the induction of 155 new air-conditioned electric buses—80 under Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited (BRTS) and 75 under Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service (AMTS)—strengthening the city’s transition towards a zero-emission public transport ecosystem. The upcoming construction of three dedicated electric-bus depots with charging infrastructure further underlines Ahmedabad’s commitment to sustainable mobility.
In a landmark environmental initiative, Amit Shah simultaneously launched Mission 5 Million Trees, inaugurated 101 Oxygen Parks across Ahmedabad and dedicated a new Heritage Park on the Sabarmati riverfront, creating one of the country’s largest integrated urban greening campaigns.
“Development is meaningful only when it is planned with future requirements in mind while ensuring convenience for every citizen, including the most ordinary sections of society.” — Amit Shah
Calling tree plantation a people’s movement inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign, Shah said citizens of the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency had planted more than one crore trees, while Ahmedabad city alone accounted for nearly 50 lakh plantations.
“The campaign to plant 1.25 crore trees is no longer just a slogan; it has become a people’s movement.” — Amit Shah
Highlighting the environmental impact, Shah said the combined green cover across Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Kalol and Sanand has increased by 11.23 per cent, with a target of achieving 20 per cent green cover by 2029. He added that the extensive plantation drive is expected to reduce Ahmedabad’s ambient temperature by nearly five per cent over time.
“Everyone should plant a tree and protect the ozone layer for future generations.” — Amit Shah
The civic package also includes modern residential quarters for government employees, digitised municipal services, upgraded drainage infrastructure, community facilities, Anganwadis, road improvements and a strengthened drinking water network under the Jal Jeevan Mission, benefiting eight AUDA villages through treated Narmada water supply. Additional projects include a public library, Sponge Park and conservation of Jaspur Lake.
Shah also appealed for universal adoption of rooftop solar systems, stating that Gandhinagar already leads the country in rooftop solar installations and urging citizens to ensure that “not a single rooftop remains without solar panels.” He further noted that once the remaining electric buses are inducted, Ahmedabad’s city bus fleet will effectively become pollution-free.
With climate action, clean transport, digital governance and citizen-centric infrastructure converging in a single developmental blueprint, Ahmedabad’s latest urban mission reflects a broader vision of creating resilient, greener and smarter Indian cities for the decades ahead.
