Gita Mandir, Ranip GSRTC depots to be moved to Ahmedabad’s outskirts

Gandhinagar: The Gujarat govt has initiated a proposal to relocate Gita Mandir and Ranip depots of the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) outside Ahmedabad to ease traffic congestion in the city. Officials stated the proposal is expected to be implemented within the next few months. Currently, around 3,000 GSRTC buses arrive and depart from these two depots every day.The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (Auda) have been directed to allocate land for the new depots at four locations on the city's outskirts. Of these, two sites — Sarkhej and Adalaj — have already been identified, according to state govt officials.Interestingly, the idea to shift the two bus terminals was first proposed in Auda's 2014 decadal development plan for the city. "However, despite the plan to relocate the major depots, the govt inaugurated the Rs 41 crore Gita Mandir bus stand in Aug 2015 and the Rs 26 crore revamped Ranip GSRTC bus depot in March 2016," an Auda official said.This year, as part of the Urban Development Year commemoration, all departments have been asked to submit proposals aimed at strengthening urban infrastructure. As part of this initiative, the state ports and transport department has been tasked with presenting a plan to reduce traffic congestion caused by GSRTC buses at the two main depots in the city."Locations at Sarkhej and Adalaj have already been earmarked, where GSRTC buses from Saurashtra and North Gujarat will be terminated. Two additional sites are also being finalised. The govt is conducting meetings with AMC and Ahmedabad Metro officials to ensure connectivity from these new locations to various parts of the city," said a source familiar with the development.Officials confirmed that the land allocation process has already begun. "The proposal will be implemented before the end of the calendar year. Initially, buses will operate from open plots, and simultaneously, the transport department will begin constructing depot facilities at these sites," they added.Govt sources noted that currently, all private luxury buses terminate at locations on the city's outskirts, and the operators arrange transport for passengers to reach different parts of Ahmedabad. "The state transport department has already held consultations with Auda, AMC and other agencies including Metro Rail to discuss the establishment of integrated transport hubs on the outskirts, here passengers can easily access transport services to reach their destinations within the city," officials said.