AMC plans to widen 600-m stretch near IIM-A.

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is planning to widen the 600-metre long stretch of road from City Civic Centre at the western end of the IIM flyover to Vastrapur Lake in order to solve traffic bottlenecking during peak hours.

The flyover over IIM-A had been built to solve the bottleneck problem, which persisted despite efforts by authorities to ease the situation.

“When the proposal to this effect comes before the committee for approval, our committee will clear it,” said standing committee chairman Pravin Patel recently.

The stretch is part of the model road which leads to Sardar CentreThe bottle-neck part of the road from City Civic Centre to Vastrapur lake causes a serious traffic problem immediately after the flyover thanks to about 100 shops and a temple blocking road space. The road is supposed to be 30 feet wide, but it is around 15 metres at present.

The implementation of the plan will likely not be an easy task, given the large number of shops and business establishments on both sides as well as a large temple in the middle. Shopkeepers are likely to resist the move, as they did in the case of Thaltej road widening for the Metro rail project.

“We are aware of the issue and impending problems of people opposing the widening. But there is no other alternative to this plan,” said a senior member of the city town planning committee.

THE INDIAN EXPRESS