Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad, the largest city in the state of Gujarat, lies along the banks of the Sabarmati river. The city was built by Sultan Ahmed Shah, grandson of Muzaffarid dynasty founder Zafar Khan Muzaffar. Ahmedabad assumed importance after being integrated into the Bombay Presidency.
The city offers huge investment prospects, as Ahmedabad real estate market is growing bigger in size and will continue to grow in the coming years. Apart from the affordable segment, the graph for the demand of luxury housing is also going north wards. The investor-centric real estate market in in the city attracts both the developers and sellers. Areas like Bopal, New CG Road, Mani Nagar and Motera are witnessing massive realty activity and even rent housing stock in Ahmedabad is seeing a sound appreciation. There is increased investment from NRIs in the properties in Ahmedabad, along with considerable infrastructural progress. Places like South Bopal, Satellite and Prahlad Nagar are comparatively affordable.
Redevelopment and affordable housing are two major policies taken up by the state government in Ahmedabad. The metro railway project will scale up demand along the Ashram Road, Motera Stadium, Sabarmati Railway Station, Paldi, Thaltej, Vasna, Shahpur, Commerce Six Road and Apparel Park.

Infrastructure
Huge investments, rapid infrastructure, GIFT City and a supportive government make Ahmedabad ideal for investment. This is why the city has witnessed rapid evolution in terms of infrastructure. The National Highway 8 passes through Ahmedabad and links it with state capital Gandhinagar, national capital Delhi and the countrys financial capital Mumbai. The National Highway 8C also links it to Gandhinagar. The Golden Quadrilateral project is a major initiative that includes the National Expressway passing through the area and connecting it to Vadodara. A BRTS (Bus Rapid Transport System) has been developed, while the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport has been developed 15 kilometres away from the city centre. The proposed Dholera International Airport near Fedara will be the biggest airport in the country. The Ahmedabad Railway Station is the main terminus, while the state government has already given the nod to a mass transit metro railway project. The city has a privatised power sector. The Metrolink project connecting Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad is expected to be operational by July 2017. The six laning of the four-lane highway from Kishangarh in Rajasthan through Udaipur to Ahmedabad is also being developed. The AMC is also working on innovative ideas with Regional Transport Office (RTO), Ahmedabad, to reduce the traffic chaos on city roads. These steps would certainly affect the prices of properties in Ahmedabad.

Homes and Living
Areas like Bopal, South Bopal, Prahlad Nagar, Satellite, SG Highway, Gota, Bodakdev, Chandkheda, Thaltej, etc., are the most popular localities in Ahmedabad. Bopal and South Bopal localities fall far from the city but they are well-connected through the SP Ring Road and are preferred because of their affordability. In Parhlad Nagar, commercial set-ups are the major reason behind the popularity of the area. Several multi-national companies, BPOs, KPOs, etc., are located in the area. Being one of the well-planned and developed areas of Ahmedabad, it has all basic facilities such as schools, hospitals, banks, restaurants, malls, etc., within the vicinity. Satellite, is also one of the preferred localities because of the proximity to commercial offices in Parhlad Nagar. The connectivity to rest of the city is also good from this area. Also, a rich list of educational institutes in the city contributes to the growth in lifestyle and Ahmedabad Real Estate. These include the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, Gujarat Vidyapith, Nirma University of Science and Technology and MICA.

Demographics
With a population of more than six million, Ahmedabad is the sixth-largest city in the country. Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat, lies 30 kilometres away from Ahmedabad. The sex ratio for Ahmedabad stands at 897 women per 1,000 men. Child sex ratio is 853 girls per 1,000 boys. The average literacy rate is 89.62 per cent.

Governance
Ahmedabad is administered by the Amdavad Municipal Corporation. The AMC takes care of primary education, water and sewerage services, public transport, fire services, primary education and infrastructure. The urban and suburban zones are administered by the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA). The AMC through the e-governance measures has made many processes simpler. People can do a lot of things online such as paying taxes, marriage registration, issue of licence, birth and death registration, etc. AMC has initiated the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Project to improve the environment conditions in the region and provide slum rehabilitation for the slum dwellers living at the river bank.

Industry and Employment
The oil, gas and energy industries, petrochemical industries and automobile manufacturing industries are some of the major factors driving the demand for Ahmedabad real estate. It has one of the biggest cotton industries in the country and the stock exchange is the second oldest in the country. Construction, communications and commerce are major employment and growth drivers in the city. Banking, textile and garments sectors are major economies of the city, along with gems and jewelry which is exported globally in huge numbers. The automobile industry is also prominent in the city with major companies like Tata, Suzuki and Ford present here. IT and pharmaceuticals are other major sectors slowly gaining traction in the city. Pharma companies such as Torrent Pharmaceuticals and Zydus Cadila are situated here. Also, corporate offices of Nirma Group, Adani Group are in the city. An inter-state comparison in the Economic Survey 2012-13 showed that the unemployment rate per 1,000 people was the lowest in Gujarat where just 18 persons were unemployed.

Lifestyle
Ahmedabad is home to several gardens, including the Victoria Garden, Law Garden and Bal Vatika. The Kankaria Lake is one of the biggest lakes in the city while other attractions include the Prahlad Nagar Garden, Kamla Nehru Zoological Park and the collection of antique cars at Kathwada. There are numerous restaurants serving global and Indian cuisines, including McDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut. Manek Chowk is a major jewellery market and shopping centre. The Rangeela-pol artisans are famous for their products. T3 Cafe in Ahmedabad is an open air hangout place for young people. Bombay Vadapav is the most popular Vadapav joint in the city. Some even claim that it is better than its counterparts in Mumbai. It is one of the reasons why Vijay Char Rasta is always jam packed with people. Lucky Tea Stall, near Shalimar Cinema, is also very popular. M F Hussain was a regular visitor of this joint. Ahmedabad Haat in Vastrapur is a paradise for shopaholics and art lovers. The Sabarmati Ashram / Mahatma Gandhi’sHome, Akshardham Temple, Adalaj Step-well, Sabarmati Riverfront, Auto World Vintage Car Museum, Hathee Singh Jain Temple, Manek Chowk, Alpha One Mall, ISKCON Temple, Dada Bhagwan Temple, Swaminarayan Mandir, Gujarat Science City, etc., are very famous tourist places.

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