Ahmedabad, Feb 21 (IANS) A plan to deploy more than 3,000 electric buses alongside expanded metro connectivity and a Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) to transform Ahmedabad’s urban transport network was unveiled at the inauguration of the ‘Ahmedabad Next’ and ‘Mobility Exhibition’ on Saturday.

The exhibition was inaugurated by Minister of State for Urban Development Darshana Vaghela at an event jointly organised by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and Shift Transport.

The programme outlined an integrated mobility roadmap linked to preparations for a potential bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games.

Addressing the gathering, Vaghela referred to Ahmedabad’s public transport journey “from the ‘Lal Bus’ AMTS to BRTS and the Metro”, stating that long-term planning over the next 25 to 50 years would be central to the city’s transformation.

She said, “Projects such as the Second Ring Road, a logistics park and the expansion of the Sabarmati riverfront would help develop Ahmedabad into a world-class liveable city.”

Emphasising traffic management, she said, “Connector vehicles should be used to reduce congestion on ring roads and parking capacity at metro stations should be increased to improve commuter access.”

Mayor Pratibha Jain said the civic body was committed to achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s target of net zero carbon emissions by 2070. “To achieve the ‘Net Zero’ target by 2070, AMC is committed and planning concrete steps,” she said.

She announced that more than 3,000 electric buses were planned to strengthen public transport. “To encourage electric vehicles, 100 per cent exemption in vehicle tax has been granted,” she added, noting that services such as MyByk were also promoting sustainable mobility.

Additional Chief Secretary of the Urban Development Department, M Thennarasan, said the bidding process for the 2036 Olympics has commenced.

“The bidding process for the 2036 Olympics has started. Four new metro lines connecting the airport and GIFT City had been proposed to improve air quality in line with international standards, and the Gujarat government had made provisions for viability gap funding to support transport infrastructure,” he noted.

Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani said the administration was focusing on “last-mile connectivity” and smart traffic management.

He said satellite towns such as Kalol and Sanand would be connected through the RRTS, reducing travel time to “only 30 to 45 minutes”.

MLA Amit Shah, Standing Committee Chairman Devang Dani, AMTS Chairman Dharamshi Desai, and a large number of students attended the event.

–IANS

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