Ahmedabad: Two bodies, one goal, zero coordination. Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (Auda), don’t seem to be on the same page when it comes to planning. Even if the job is creating a masterplan, an important infrastructure strategy document focusing on the 2036 Olympic Games.
The bodies failed to coordinate on the plan from the word go, official sources said. Which meant that they appointed different consultants for the same job of creating the document.
The sources said that a year ago, Auda appointed three consulting firms to draft a comprehensive masterplan for Ahmedabad city for the 2036 Games, covering every aspect of civic services. While this plan was meant to strategise for the 2036 Olympics, Auda decided to incorporate a water management plan till the year 2050 also. The consulting fees were set in crores.
Last month, AMC’s standing committee okayed a proposal for a Ra 12.56 crore joint venture with three companies for a masterplan, also focusing on the 2036 Olympics and a developed India by 2047.
The proposal’s scope included urban planning for infrastructure such as placemaking, road networks, parking, public toilets, kids’ play areas, water body development, signages, picnic spots, city attractions, fun parks, commercial activities, urban infrastructure, industrial and commercial infrastructure, heritage, education, connectivity etc. Realising the duplication mistake, both bodies have now decided to split the job. This patchwork job, however, will now require a change in the scope for consultants and increase in project costs.
Now, Auda consultants will focus on water, sewage, and stormwater infrastructure, while AMC and its joint venture partners will handle the rest. AMC sources said coordination at the start would have saved crores of rupees.