10 best spots in AMC list to boost tourism

Under an ambitious tourism programme for the city, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is developing 10 tourist places including some of the most visited ones like Gandhi Ashram, Law Garden, Sidi Sayyad Mosque, Sarkhej Roza, Jhulta Minara among others. Apart from providing supporting facilities including parking, stress will be on offering public utility services along with beautification of these sites.

The project is undertaken by the AMC in collaboration with the state tourism corporation (Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited). These 10 sites are divided in two phases with five in each, conceptual work on first five sites including Law Garden, Sidi Sayyad Mosque, Sarkhej Roza, Jhulta Minara and Hutheesing Jain temple is nearing completion.

"With designs and technical specifications of these almost complete, the same will be opened for tendering this month. This will be followed by development work on sites. The plan is to involve beautification, signages, landscaping, traditional light poles and public utility development which is entirely lacking at these sites added with food stalls, souvenir shops and other facilities," said municipal commissioner Guruprasad Mohapatra.

Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the design work is done by a team of architects and designers at the Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology (CEPT) University under the leadership of Prof. Utpal Sharma. It is said the plan was floated after it was realised that despite having numerous tourist sites in Ahmedabad, one can hardly visit these in the absence of supporting facilities around these sites.

"The aim was to develop these places as major heritage and recreation destinations while creating connections with its visitors. Also, to integrate with the ongoing projects like BRTS was another challenge. Attempts were also made to address issues like parking, open spaces, traffic and pedestrian movement and seating space,' revealed Trupti Patel, one of the architects at CEPT working on the project.

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