Vadodara

Situated on the fertile plain between the Mahi & Narmada Rivers, the city of Vadodara is the third most populated city in Gujarat after Ahmedabad and Surat. The city is divided by the Vishwamitri river, which divides it into two physically distinct regions, eastern and western. While the eastern bank of the river houses an older portrait of Vadodara like street bazaars, shanty buildings and a myriad of temples, the west has seen an emergence in well-planned residential infrastructure, efficient business districts, and a variety of shopping malls.

Vadodara industrial growth runs from Ahmedabad to Vapi, through the golden corridor. The city has emerged as one of India foremost industrial centers with an industry massively dominated by chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machine tools, and cotton textiles.

It was in 1962, with the establishment of Gujarat Refinery that many large-scale industries like the Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited (IPCL), Gujarat State Fertilizers and Chemicals (GSFC), and Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Limited (GACL) set up base at Vadodara, encouraging a large number of small enterprises, thus contributing to its industrial spurge.

Vadodara is also home to the Vadodara Stock Exchange (VSE) and is becoming a vision of the Confederation of Indian Industry, with an emerging IT sector and other developing projects. The rapid growth of industrialization definitely sees Vadodara as a magnet for not only local entrepreneurs, but within Gujarat and the rest of India in the future.

Stats And Facts

• The population of Vadodara, as per the provisional reports of the census 2011, is 13,94,952.
• The city sex ratio is below the national average, at 923 per 1000 males. The child sex ratio is also below the national average at 856 girls per 1000 boys.
• The average literacy rate of Vadodara is impressively higher compared to Vadodara District 78.92% with 92.73%, as per the provisional reports of the Census 2011.
• The jurisdiction of Vadodara city covers urbanized areas of around 15-20 km², on the northern side of the city.
• The official language of Gujarat is Gujarati, but Marathi, Hindi and English are also widely used in this culturally diverse city. There is a presence of many Indian communities that have an active identity in the city, and together with the heritage of the locals, contour Vadodara into a cosmopolitan blend.

Vadodara – Powering The Industrial Sector

• Vadodara has seen the growth of industrialization at an early age. The Alembic Pharmaceuticals was the first modern factory established in the city in 1907. This gave spurge to many companies like Sarabhai Chemicals and Jyoti. In 1962, there were 288 factories employing 27510 workers. This trend of industrial activity gave birth to a spurt in the industrial sector, especially with the establishment of the Indian Oil Corporation Limited and the Gujarat Refinery.
• Through the years, factors like product demand, raw material availability, financial and material resources by the government and private entrepreneurs and skillful mobilization of workers, have all contributed to Vadodara being one of India top industrial centers today.
• Large-scale industries such as Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited, Gujarat State Fertilisers & Chemicals, Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Limited have all found sanctuary within the welcoming hands of Vadodara.
• Other large-scale public sector units include Heavy Water Project and Gujarat Industries Power Company Limited.
• The Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor passes through Vadodara, making it the ample destination hotspot for attracting industrial investments.

Connectivity

• Vadodara is served by the Vadodara Airport, located northeast of the city. The city has air connectivity with Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, and Hyderabad. There are plans for an International Airport in the near future.
• A wing of the Western Railway zone of Indian Railways, the Vadodara Railway Station is Gujarat busiest junction with around 150 trains passing on a daily basis. Traveling to most of the parts of India from this junction is possible as Vadodara has five railway stations namely Vishwamitri, Bajwa, Vadodara Junction (BRC), Makarpura, and Pratapnagar. Vadodara is also home to India largest Electric Locomotive Shed housing several WAP-4, WAP-5, WAM-4, and WAG series of Indian Locos.
• National Highway NH-8 connects Delhi and Gandhinagar with Ahmedabad to Mumbai, passing through the city. The Indian National Expressway 1 also connects to Ahmedabad. In the near future, this Expressway aims to extend to the south, from Vadodara all the way up to Mumbai.
• Buses, auto-rickshaws and taxis are the most preferred and efficient modes of transport throughout the city. Private bus operators, VTPL run over a hundred buses along the roads of Vadodara reducing two-wheeler traffic and helping people with safe, convenient and cheap transport service.

Localities in Vadodara