Ahmedabad’s UNESCO World Heritage Walled City, spread over 550 hectares, is struggling under severe traffic pressure. A Nirma University study has found that in just two peak hours, the area sees over 11.13 lakh trips, with one-third of street space consumed by informal parking and CO₂ emissions nearly nine times above safe limits.
Guided by professors Utpal Sharma and Pratima Singh, the study mapped congestion hotspots such as Gandhi Road, Relief Road, Manek Chowk and Bhadra Plaza, while suggesting measures to free the city from gridlock and pollution.
Park-and-Ride Solution
Researchers propose restricting vehicle entry at 12 of the Walled City’s 21 access points, where peripheral parking hubs can be created. From these hubs, commuters could shift to buses, metro links, or shared micro-mobility services like e-scooters and bikes under a “Mobility as a Service” system.
Why the Change is Needed
Despite the metro corridor, only one station (Gheekanta) lies inside the Walled City. The BRTS runs only along the periphery and the AMTS network remains thin, pushing commuters to depend heavily on two-wheelers (66% of peak-hour trips) and auto-rickshaws (30%).
Key Findings
- Peak-hour dominance: Two- and three-wheelers make up 96% of traffic.
- Parking crisis: Autos alone would need 11.27 lakh sq.m of parking space.
- Streets under stress: Lanes built for pedestrians are now overwhelmed by motorized traffic.
- Congestion hotspots: Relief Road, Teen Darwaja, major pols face severe traffic-pedestrian conflicts.
Suggested Interventions
- Traffic control: Restrict entry, pedestrianize select areas, shift wholesale markets out of the core.
- Infrastructure upgrade: Improve streets, lighting, drainage and sanitation.
- Residential revival: Provide amenities like toilets to encourage habitation.
- Heritage focus: Balance development with cultural and architectural preservation.
- Policy tweak: Revise Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) at property level to support redevelopment.
The study, “Sustainable Urban Mobility in Heritage Cities”, concludes that without curbing private vehicles, the Walled City’s heritage and liveability will remain under threat.