Gujarat

Entrance of Motibang Palace, Baroda

I had been on a tour to Gujarat recently in company of son Anil George Philip. We stayed in Ahmadabad but traveled to Baroda and almost to the out skirts of Surat. We have profusely used road and rail for our journey. After having traveled through these places for six days the impression I carry about Gujarat I thought I should share. 

Maharajah Sayajirao (MS) University of Baroda.
Only building with an Afghani dome on it.

Gandhinagar

Ahmadabad is divided in to east and west by River Sabarmati and 9 bridges, old and new, interconnect these two parts of the citiy. Bridges over Sabarmati are the life line of the city. East is the old Ahmadabad and west is the emerging Ahmadabad with most modern planning. Gandhinagar, the new capital city of Gujarat is situated in the western part of Ahmadabad and the place look truly western. Gandhinagar is divided in to sectors and each sector is made self sufficient with Shopping center, Community center, Primary school, Health center, Government and Private housing. Extensively planted trees and recreational areas along the River Sabarmati give a green garden city atmosphere. I was told the city planners have apprenticed with Mr. Le Cor busier, the famous french architect who created Chandigarh the capital city of Punjab and Haryana states. Since I lived in Chandigarh I could easily co relate the planning of Gandhinagar very much. 

Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) 

Section of BRTS under construction

City bus service system attracted me very much. Ahmadabad BRTS started in 2009 for a distance of 45 kilo meter in and around the city. To day as per records BRTS brings in an average revenue of 8.5 lakhs per day and it has already met the operational cost. This additional 8 meter wide corridor is built through the already existing four or six lane city roads. BRTS is fenced and police controlled for the exclusive use of city buses that are modern and custom made. At every 300 meters on these center roads there are raised bus stations  like railway platforms. As the bus reaches the platform, the doors of the bus and the gate to the platform are automatically opened and passengers are allowed to alight to the platform not to the road. 

Interior of BRTS bus station

At some of the stations there are subways for the passengers to cross the main road after getting down from BRTS. Although there are helping hands automated ticket vending machines placed at the bus station feed you  with the ticket for the journey. The system is designed by CEPT University and managed by Janmarg limited, a subsidiary of Ahmadabad municipal corporation. Following the success of the system Chennai BRTS and Bangalore BRTS are also under implementation. 

National & State High ways

National high way 8C connects Ahmadabad to Jaipur, Udaipur, New Delhi and Chandigarh and National high way 8A connects Gandhinagar to Surat, Bombay and New Bombay.

State high ways

Roads are the star attraction of Gujarat; I have not noticed a road smaller than two lane even in side the market area of Ahmadabad. We very much have used state as well as national high ways for our journey.

I should say it with out exaggeration the highways in Gujarat are like runways of an aerodrome. Four lane are the regular traffic road and there is a buffer lane incorporated on either sides for flowers and small trees and in addition there is also a feeder lane in most of the places for people to get in to pocket roads leading to their residential ares as well as to their villages. 

Roads on pillars.

Beautiful trees with lush green foliage planted all along the road makes Gujarat a garden city. With this explanation I hope you can imagine how grand these roads are. The pattern is maintained almost every where possible. We used the highway for our journey to Baroda from Ahmadabad; it took only 1 hr and 45 minutes in an air conditioned Volvo bus where as the shortest duration of time used to be express trains taking 2 hrs and 40 minutes. We tried train for our return journey and found the road trip through the agricultural village land was much more enjoyable and comfortable.

95 km Ahmadabad Vadodara Express Hg way

Cycle to Residential Community

Another point of interest I noticed is the modern residential community in the west is served with separate cycle ways along the motor roads. There fore service centers, Work places, and recreational areas will be accessible to them by cycles; consequently they need not to travel on or across the main vehicular roads.

Metro Link Express

There is an ambitious long Metro link express between Gandhinagar and Ahmadabad is under construction by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). Their Metro run along the side instead of through the center of the road. 

Airport

Domestic Air port transfer

Sardar Vallabhai Patel International Airport is made most modern and provides connectivity to all major cities in India as well as to the world. We have used the domestic side of this airport complex to fly from Bombay to Ahmadabad and back to Bombay. Air craft was fully packed with passengers in both ways, many people travel in this sector. 

Rail Road

The main Railway station in Ahmadabad is known as the Ahmadabad Junction Railway station or Kalupur Railway station. Gandhinagar railway station is known as Gandhinagar Capital (GNC) and many important trains of western railway passes through these two stations.

Jhulta Minar near Kalupur 
Railway station

Agriculture

Agriculture is well taken care of, large water pipe is laid through extreme periphery of the high ways and out let valves at a distance of 300 to 500 meters are provided at a height of 10 feet on pillars; this is free water supply for agriculture. We noticed wheat and vegetable are cultivated in abundance by taking the benefit of this piped irrigation. 

Crime Rate

Gujarat is the safest state in India as per the statistics; crime rate is least even after considering 2002 communal riots. Women move around in the city fearlessly; Cars and auto rickshaws run by meter, no arguments, no hassles. People in general are gentile and respectful.

Economy

One of the Solar parks

Gujarat is known for its Petrochemical, Pharmaceutical, Textile and Auto mobile industries. Besides, Gujarat is a major producer of renewable energy a waste land of 2669 acres have been converted in to a solar park during its first phase. Age old wind mills of Holland tells a story that wind energy is the most economically viable renewable energy, upon realizing the fact these people have installed the propellers even in the water to derive energy, hats off to you Gujarat.

Wind mill propellers installed in the water

I am not a pro Narendra Modi person however as a visitor from another Indian state I can say it with out a doubt on my mind Gujarat is surpassing many other states in the country and their all around growth and development is second to none.  

Public transport runs on CNG; private automobiles are plenty and road full. But what I observed is the presence of European cars like Mercedes, BMWs and Audis are very much limited instead Japanese, Korean and Indian cars rule the road. The city as a whole and roads in particular are maintained clean. Electric and water supply systems are uninterrupted. Waste management system is commendable, there is no fowl smell emitting from uncleared waste or trash lying any where in the entire city of Gujarat where we traveled. 

Quality Gujarati food

Food is in abundance and they are in quality. Gujarat is dry; the government does not run a beverage corporation or a lottery corporate to make money for running their business. They are not after easy money their aspirations are high they make their progress through Agriculture farming, Industries, Business, Modern infrastructure, Prosperous community control and effective Waste management. I was under the impression Punjab is the most prosperous state in India but after experiencing Gujarat I very much doubt on my assumption. 

Short falls

Short falls that I experienced are the precarious condition of Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC). Buses used are dilapidated and the condition of the bus stations is pathetic. But I was told they are presently run on attrition basis and the whole system will be revamped shortly. Traffic signals are obeyed only when there is a police man standing to control. 

Places of Interest we visited

Sabarmati Ashram

Sabarmati Ashram

During Indian independence struggle Mahatma Gandhi established Sabarmati Ashram as his home on the banks of Sabarmati River. He lived in the Ashram with his wife Kasthurba for 12 years. 

Mahatma Gandhi's Cottage

It was from here he led his Dandi march or Salt Sathyagraha. Presently it locates Gandhi's own cottage and a large museum.

Dr. Anil George inside the Sabarmati Museum

The location is beautiful and peaceful; there is ample view of River Sabarmati sitting from here. Present Ashram is designed by the famous architect Charles Correa in 1963. 

Charka used by Mahatma Gandhi inside the museum 

They said the Ashram receives average of 7 lakhs visitors per year and it remains opened for visitors from 8 am until 7 pm every day. When we visited there were a large number French students in the Ashram busy with their research activities. 

My favorite painting in the museum

 Adalaj Step well

Adalaj step well or Adalaj Ni Vav as said in Gujarati is a popular tourist spot located closer to Gandhinagar. 

Before you climb down to the Step well

This is a 5 storey step well where you have to climb down 5 storeys to reach the water below. The well was built in 1499 by the Muslim King Mohamed Begada for the queen Roopa Bhai, wife of Hindu King Rana Veer Singh.

Art work on the pillars of the step well 

Interesting legend written over there goes like this, Hindu King was defeated and killed in a battle between them and Muslim King proposed to marry the beautiful wife of Hindu King Rani Roopa Bhai. 

 5 storey well from above, one stair below is the water

She agreed to the proposal on a condition Muslim King had to complete the step well that her husband had started. He agreed and speedily completed the well with the expectation to marry Rani Roopa Bhai. Upon completion when Rani went to see the well she jumped in to the well and committed suicide.  

Water in the step well down below

Akshardham Temple of Gandhinagar

This pink stone carved monument is one of the biggest temples in the state of Gujarat. It is built and run by a Hindu religious community in 1992. 

Akshardhan temple 

The community also runs Akshardham temple in Delhi. Gandhinagar temple came in to international lime light when two heavily armed terrorists attacked it in 2002. About 600 people were inside the temple at the time of attack and many were killed and wounded during the assault. Because of this reason security is very complex in and around the temple. Cameras were not allowed there fore I could not take pictures of the temple. The temple hosts an exquisite garden and a children theme park in its surrounding. It has 3 halls in side the temple where, IMAX 3D formatted video presentations takes place and also dancing musical fountains. It is a good experience to spend some time over here.

Planet Earth - Science City

Gujarat Science city

Located in Hibatpur, Ahmadabad; the city is well maintained and spreads over large acreage of land with full of greenery. The center provides an IMAX 3D theater, an energy park, a hall of science, Planet earth, an amphitheater, Life science park and a dancing musical fountain. It is part of government initiative to encourage children to take up science studies. A program called Vacation Training Program on Bio-resources for school children is organized by science city for the students who gave SSC examination. It is an excellent place to take children and spend time with them. The center charges an entry fee of Rs 10 per adult and Rs 5 per child and the timings are from 2 pm to 9 pm everyday. 

I do understand the growth and development of Gujarat cannot be written with in the scope of a blog or by the experience of a 6 day tour, but I am making an effort to share what I have seen and experienced. Please make your comments if you appreciate or not