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When Ahmedabad launched its flagship riverfront beautification project in 2010, it came with a promise: Modern housing and better services for the evicted. But in areas like Odhav, where many of the displaced were relocated, public transport was left out of the plan — leaving residents isolated and struggling to survive.
In 2010, Babli and her husband Ramesh Solanki were among hundreds of families evicted from informal settlements along the banks of the Sabarmati River. Promised permanent housing within a 5 kilometres radius, they were instead relocated to Odhav, a peripheral area roughly 15 kilometres from the city centre. While they received concrete flats under the Basic Services for the Urban Poor (BSUP) scheme, the couple discovered that essential services like public transport were no longer in reach for them.
“We used to sell vegetables,” said Babli, now in her early 50s. “Every morning, we would get up at 4 am, buy vegetables from the local market and sell them door to door. But after we were shifted to Odhav, everything changed.”
She described waking at 3 am and walking nearly 1.5 kilometres to the main road in the hope of catching an autorickshaw to Jamalpur Sabzi Mandi. “Often, I’d get there late and the vegetables would be gone. Some days I had to return empty-handed. Other days, I couldn’t even find an auto.”
The situation worsened over time. With her children missing school due to the commute and her husband’s vegetable business faltering, the family slipped into debt. “He couldn’t take the pressure. About four years ago, Ramesh died by suicide. He drank phenyl,” she said quietly.
Babli now works as a bailiff at a city court. But commuting remains arduous. “There are no transport options after 8 pm,” said Lalita Ben, her colleague. “We change three rickshaws each way. It costs Rs 70 one way, which is not affordable for many.”
Residents say the lack of connectivity has forced others to change occupations or buy two-wheelers on EMI. “Most people from our colony used to work in the vegetable trade. But commuting became so difficult that they either changed jobs or took on debt to buy scooters,” said Sunil Chavan, a local youth. “Now their first concern every day is to afford fuel.”
Public transport options in the area are scarce. “Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service (AMTS) buses come only in the morning and evening. There’s no fixed timing. They’re always full,” said Chavan, calling for more buses and regular service.
The AMTS, founded in 1940, is one of India’s oldest municipal transport agencies, predating even the Delhi Transport Corporation. Originally launched to decongest central Ahmedabad and connect outlying areas like Naroda, Vasna and Sabarmati, AMTS today operates over 800 buses, according to the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation’s 2023-24 budget. More than 400,000 passengers use the service daily.
The city also has a Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) called 'Janmarg', which has been operated since 2009 by Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) established under the Companies Act.
This article is part of our series on how India moves, which looks at the relationship between air quality and human mobility in cities and towns. This story is the first in the Ahmedabad mobility series. Also read the second part.
