Geography and climate

Ahmedabad is located at 23.03° N 72.58° E in western India at an elevation of 53 metres (174 feet). The city sits on the banks of the River Sabarmati, in north-central Gujarat. It spans an area of 205 km² (79.15 square miles). The Sabarmati frequently dries up in the summer, leaving only a small stream of water. The city is located in a sandy and dry area. Many of the localities and roads are often spread in sand, reflecting the intensifying fallout caused by deforestation. The steady expansion of the Rann of Kutch threatens to increase desertification around the city area and much of the state. Except for the small hills of Thaltej-Jodhpur Tekra, the city is almost flat. Two lakes are within the city's limits — Kankaria Lake and Vastrapur Lake. Kankaria lake, in the neighbourhood of Maninagar, is an artificial lake developed by the Sultan of Delhi, Qutb-ud-din Aybak, in 1451. According to the Bureau of Indian Standards, the town falls under seismic zone-III, in a scale of I to V (in order of increasing proneness to earthquakes) while the wind and cyclone zoning is "very high damage risk", according to UNDP report.

There are three main seasons: summer, monsoon and winter. Aside from the monsoon season, the climate is dry. The weather is hot through the months of March to June — the average summer maximum is 36 °C (97 °F), and the average minimum is 23 °C (73 °F). From November to February, the average maximum temperature is 30 °C (85 °F), the average minimum is 15 °C (59 °F), and the climate is extremely dry. Cold northerly winds are responsible for a mild chill in January. The southwest monsoon brings a humid climate from mid-June to mid-September. The average rainfall is 93.2 cm (36.7 inches), but infrequent heavy torrential rains cause the river to flood. The highest temperature recorded is 47 °C (116.6 °F) and the lowest is 5 °C (41 °F). In recent years, Ahmedabad has suffered from increasing air, water and soil pollution from neighbouring industrial areas and textile mills.

Ahmedabad is divided by the Sabarmati into two physically distinct eastern and western regions. The eastern bank of the river houses the old city, which includes the central town of Bhadra. This part of Ahmedabad is characterised by packed bazaars, the clustered and barricaded pol system of shanty buildings, and numerous places of worship. It houses the main railway station, the General Post Office, and landmark buildings of the Muzaffarid and British eras. The colonial period saw the expansion of the city to the western side of Sabarmati, facilitated by the construction of Ellis Bridge in 1875 and later with the modern Nehru Bridge. This part of the city houses educational institutions, modern buildings, well-planned residential areas, shopping malls, multiplexes and new business districts centred around C. G. Road, Ashram Road, and more recently, the Sarkhej-Gandhinagar Highway.

Balvantrai Thakore, Sardar Patel and Ganesh Mavlankar at a ceremony held in the municipality compound to celebrate centenary year of the Ahmedabad Municipality in 1935

Ahmedabad is administered by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). Some of the regions surrounding the city are administered by the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA). The AMC was established in July 1950 under the Bombay Provincial Corporation Act, 1949. For administrative purposes, the city is divided into five zones and 43 wards. Three corporators are elected from each ward, who in turn elect a mayor. Executive powers are vested in the municipal commissioner, who is an IAS officer appointed by the Gujarat state government. The mayor is responsible for the day-to-day running of the municipal school board, the city bus service, the municipal hospital, and the city library. The city serves as the headquarters of Ahmedabad district and as the seat of the Gujarat High Court.

The Ahmedabad city police are headed by a Police Commissioner, an IPS officer. Electricity in the city is provided by Torrent Power AEC Limited, previously a state-run corporation. The city elects one member to the Lok Sabha and seven to the Gujarat Vidhan Sabha. Two main political parties have won a significant number of seats in elections — the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Indian National Congress. Of the seven assembly seats of Ahmedabad, five were won by the BJP and two by the Congress Party during the legislative elections in 2002. In the 2005 Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation elections, the BJP won 96 seats, 32 seats went to the Congress, and one seat went to an independent candidate.

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History of Ahmedabad City

Archaeological evidence suggests that the area around Ahmedabad has been inhabited since the 11th century, when it was known as Ashapalli or Ashaval. At that time, Karandev I, the Solanki ruler of Anhilwara (modern Patan), waged a successful war against the Bhil king of Ashaval. Soon after the victory, he established a city called Karnavati on the banks of the Sabarmati at the site of modern Ahmedabad. Solanki rule lasted until the 13th century, when Gujarat came under the control of the Vaghela dynasty of Dholka and Ahmedabad was conquered by the Sultanate of Delhi.

In 1411 , the rule of the Muzaffarid dynasty was established in Gujarat. According to tradition, Sultan Ahmed Shah, while camping on the banks of the River Sabarmati, saw a hare chasing a dog. Impressed by this act of bravery, the Sultan, who had been looking for a place to build his new capital, decided to locate the capital here and called it Ahmedabad.

In 1487, Mahmud Begada, the grandson of Ahmed Shah, fortified the city with an outer wall 10 km (6 miles) in circumference and consisting of twelve gates, 189 bastions and over 6,000 battlements. Ahmedabad was ruled by the Muzaffarid dynasty until 1573 when Muzaffar II was the Sultan of Ahmedabad. Gujarat was then conquered by the Mughal emperor Akbar in 1573. During the Mughal reign, Ahmedabad became one of the Empire's thriving centres of trade, mainly in textiles, which were exported to as far as Europe. The Mughal ruler Shahjahan spent the prime of his life in the city, sponsoring the construction of the Moti Shahi Mahal in Shahibaug. The armies of the Maratha generals Raghunath Rao and Damaji Gaekwad captured the city and ended Mughal rule in Ahmedabad. A famine in 1630 and the constant conflicts between the Peshwa and the Gaekwad armies virtually destroyed many parts of the city, causing its population to flee. The British East India Company took over the city in 1818 as a part of the conquest of India. A military cantonment was established in 1824 and a municipal government in 1858. In 1864, a railway link between Ahmedabad and Mumbai (then Bombay) was established by the Bombay, Baroda, and Central India Railway (BB&CI), making Ahmedabad an important junction in the traffic and trade between northern and southern India. Large numbers of people migrated from rural areas to work in textile mills, establishing a robust industry.

The Indian independence movement developed strong roots in the city when, in 1915, Mahatma Gandhi established two ashrams — the Kochrab Ashram near Paldi in 1915 and the Satyagraha Ashram on the banks of the Sabarmati in 1917 — that would become centres of intense nationalist activities. During the mass protests against the Rowlatt Act in 1919, textile workers burned down 51 government buildings across the city in protest at a British attempt to extend wartime regulations after the First World War. In the 1920s, textile workers and teachers went on strike, demanding civil rights and better pay and working conditions. In 1930, Gandhi initiated the Salt Satyagraha from Ahmedabad by embarking from his ashram on the famous Dandi Salt March. The city administration and economic institutions were rendered functionless by the large masses of people who took to the streets in peaceful protests in the early 1930s, and again in 1942 during the Quit India movement. Following independence and the partition of India in 1947, the city was scarred by intense communal violence that broke out between Hindus and Muslims.

Ahmedabad became the capital of the new state of Gujarat after the bifurcation of the State of Bombay on 1 May 1960. During that period, a large number of educational and research institutions were founded in the city, making it a major centre of higher education, science and technology. Ahmedabad's economic base was diversified with the establishment of heavy and chemical industries in its vicinity around the same period. But the growth in the next two decades was punctuated by political events in and around the city. In February 1974, Ahmedabad occupied the centre stage in national politics with the launch of the Nav Nirman agitation — a protest against a 20% hike in the hostel food fees at the L.D. College of Engineering that snowballed into a mass agitation to remove Chimanbhai Patel, then-chief minister of Gujarat, on charges of corruption. In the 1980s, a reservation policy was introduced in the country, which led to anti-reservation protests in 1981 and 1985. The protests witnessed violent clashes between people belonging to various castes.

On 26 January 2001 a devastating earthquake struck the city, centred near Bhuj, measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale. As many as 50 multistory buildings collapsed, killing 752 people and devastating the city's infrastructure. The following year, communal riots between Hindus and Muslims spread to Ahmedabad, paralysing the city for more than a month. The crisis resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1,044 people across the state. The displacement of thousands of Muslims led to the erection of refugee camps around the city.

In recent years, the effects of globalisation and the liberalisation of the Indian economy has energised the city's economy. The city has witnessed the establishment of scientific and service industries, the expansion of the information technology sector, and significant improvements in transportation and communications. Ahmedabad's population is growing, which has resulted in a construction and housing boom. However, this has challenged the city's infrastructure and power supply.

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Don't bank on public transport today

AHMEDABAD :  On Monday, it is safer to take your vehicle to your workplace as public transport in the city may be badly crippled. While the strike by employees of Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Services (AMTS) is still on, the autorikshaw drivers' decision to go on strike has threatened to play havoc with the daily commuting plan of the citizens.

The ongoing strike of daily wagers, temporary conductors and employees of private contractors of AMTS has entered the fourth day. But, the situation has worsened by the strike call given by Ahmedabad Autorickshaw Drivers Union to protest the high-handedness' of traffic police department.

According to AMTS authorities, they have now asked for 200 more state road transport buses to fill in for private contractor-run AMTS buses which are off the road because of the ongoing strike.

On Sunday, 547 AMTS buses were operational in the first shift. A day back, AMC had got 100 ST buses to ply on busy routes.

Meanwhile, three separate incidents of vandalism have been reported from various areas of the city where AMTS bus services were disrupted.

The striking workers are pressing for their demand to be absorbed as permanent employees. They have also filed a case in the labour court on the issue.

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Engineering's the hot career option this summer

AHMEDABAD :  There is a paradigm shift in the mindset of Gujarati students. Shunning their age-old orientation towards business and medical careers, students are now making a beeline for competitive exams for careers in engineering.

This, say educationists, is a trend brought about by globalisation. Not only are more students appearing for exams like Joint Entrance Examination (IIT-JEE) for IITs and All India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE), but they are scoring well too.

Vice chancellor of Nirma University, NV Vasani said, "Gujarati students are globalisation-oriented. This phenomenon is expected to bring a boom in the engineering sector. Students and parents are now more goal-oriented and focused. Middle class families are now pushing their children towards these careers."

Earlier, in the event of getting low percentage, class XII (science) Gujarati students would secure admission by paying hefty donations and migrating to other states. This trend has been reversed. The IIT-JEE has seen a marked increase in the number of students. In the last three years the number of examinees has jumped by 2,500. In 2010, there is a rise of over 500 students appearing for IIT JEE.

Earlier, only English medium students would dominate the exams. But, more Gujarati medium students are appearing now. "The increase can be attributed to the fact that Gujarat has got its own IIT now," said Sudhir Jain, director of IIT, Gandhinagar.

The jump is huge in AIEEE. In the last three years, there has been an increase of 20,000 students appearing for AIEEE. Sunil Trivedi, principal of the Delhi Public School and co-ordinator of AIEEE-Gujarat, said, "In Ahmedabad alone, there is an increase of more than 5,000 students. We had to make provision for additional 10 exam centres. In Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, a total of 26,000 students appeared for the exam in 42 exam centres."

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Goods worth Rs 10 lakh stolen from city mall

AHMEDABAD :  Thieves went shopping at Big Bazaar mall on SG Highway on Saturday night as 22 digital cameras, two video cameras, 75 mobile phones and two laptops — worth Rs 10.13 lakh—were stolen from the digital goods section of the store.

Investigating officials believe the thieves had a good knowledge of the store layout. According to Satellite police station officials, Big Bazaar officials reported a theft at the store at 12 noon on Sunday. The theft came to light at 9.30 am when the beat guards went to the first floor of the store.

A twist in the tale came later in the day when cops located a gunny bag containing 22 of the 24 stolen digital cameras and three high-end Nokia mobile phones at a deserted spot behind the mall.

“The digital goods section was targeted primarily. The burglars seemed to know this section does not have a CCTV camera for surveillance, nor does it have any illumination at night. The thieves entered the building by removing the wooden frame of a toilet window on the first floor,” said MR Gupta, inspector of Satellite police station. The mall has two guards in its front and back. The thieves, however, targeted the right side of the store surrounded by thorny bushes and a water-logged section, making it inaccessible for the guards. The adjoining plot is empty.

“It is likely that the thieves might have come in a group. We suspect they used a two-wheeler to carry the stolen goods. This will explain why they had dumped the sack containing the cameras and three high-end phones, worth Rs 1.40 lakh,” said HB Jamod, inspector of Satellite police station.

Cops have asked for footage of CCTVs to know more about suspicious visitors to the mall. “This is a well-planned operation and theburglars had done their homework. It is possible that the burglars had visited the mall posing as customers,” said police officials.

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Students happy with easy' AIEEE paper

AHMEDABAD : Around 26,000 XII science students appeared for All-India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE) conducted by Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) at 42 centres in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar on Sunday.

Barring three-four questions of mathematics, which students reportedly found quite lengthy, the paper was by and large easy. "I did not attempt questions related to maths, as I found them too tedious. I had to leave them unanswered as wrong answers would have resulted in negative marking for me," said Varun Vyas, who appeared for AIEEE at a centre in Gandhinagar.

Himali Shah of Ahmedabad said, "Many of my friends complained of mathematics questions, which they found too difficult to solve. However, I did not find the paper tough. I appeared for the exam to secure admission in premier engineering institutes of Gujarat."

Sunil Trivedi, exam co-ordinator and principal of DPS school, also termed the paper very easy. "We have so far received no complaints from students regarding the paper being tough. On the contrary, as per our observation, the paper has been perceived as an easy one by students," Trivedi said.

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Three thefts in Ghatlodia, Thaltej houses

AHMEDABAD :  Three households were targeted by thieves on Saturday afternoon from where goods worth Rs 1.96 lakh were stolen. Officials believe it to be a handiwork of one gang.

According to Sola police station officials, Viral Patel, a resident of Raviraj Park Apartment, Ghatlodia, has lodged a complaint with officials that somebody entered his house between 2.15 pm and 2.30 pm after breaking the lock on the door. According to Patel's complaint, the thief stole gold and silver jewellery worth Rs 1.03 lakh from the house. He managed to get a glimpse of the thief - aged around 30 years, wearing blue shirt and black trousers.

Gold jewellery worth Rs 63,500 was stolen from a residence in Vishwas City, Ghatlodia, on Saturday. According to a complaint by Parul Patel, somebody entered her house between 10 am and 6 pm on Saturday after breaking the latch on door and stole jewellery from a safe. She has filed a complaint for theft with Sola police station officials.

In the third incident, a flat in Thaltej was targeted by thieves in an hour. According to a complaint by Nikshita Hemant, a resident of Om Chamunda Apartment, Thaltej, somebody entered her house between 10.30 am and 11.45 am after breaking the door lock and stole Rs 23,000 cash and gold jewellery worth Rs 6,000 from a safe.

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