Parking, land tenure dispute stall Imagica project on Sabarmati Riverfront

Ahmedabad: The proposed ‘Entertainment Hub' by Imagica World Entertainment Pvt Ltd on the eastern stretch of the Sabarmati Riverfront has been stalled for nearly two years, caught in a protracted dispute over parking provisions and the classification of land as old or new tenure.Despite the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation Ltd (SRFDCL) approving a single tender for the project in March 2024, the layout plans are yet to receive clearance from the town development department of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). Officials said the delay stemmed initially from disagreements over parking requirements and later from ambiguity over the land's tenure status.A senior AMC official said that while the parking dispute has been resolved, the classification issue lingered until Dec 2025, when the district collector ruled that the land be treated as old tenure. "With this clarification, the chances of layout approval have increased, and modifications to the plans are underway," the official said.The project was cleared in a hurried SRFDCL board meeting on March 6, 2024, where a lone bid by Imagica was accepted for developing the ‘Entertainment Hub' on a 45,600 sq m plot valued at Rs 1,150 crore. The company was offered the land at an annual cost of Rs 45.6 lakh, with a seven-year exemption from property tax and permission to enter joint ventures with foreign firms. The AMC is set to receive 12.25% of the project's revenue.An official privy to the developments said a Letter of Allotment was issued on March 7, 2024, and possession of the land was handed over soon after. However, subsequent regulatory changes following the Rajkot Gaming Zone fire incident led to a revision in planning norms for entertainment and gaming zones across the state.Under the new rules, the developer was required to leave a 6m margin for a 9m-wide road and earmark 1,000m of exit space near Atal Bridge. Additionally, 50% of the plot had to be reserved for parking, significantly reducing the permissible built-up area.As a result, the project area was expanded to 50,283 sq m, of which 25,150 sq m has been allocated for parking. The development was planned in two phases. To address parking constraints, a multi-level parking facility has been proposed at Gujari Bazaar, with the company is expected to manage on an annual rental basis.These revisions to the original tender conditions were approved by the AMC's standing committee on Sep 18, 2025. However, officials said the combination of regulatory changes, parking constraints, and the tenure dispute has delayed final approvals.