AUDAcious road development plan may cost GU dear

The proposal to build public roads through the Gujarat University (GU) campus may rob the varsity of its grade from National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), fear GU officials. A top varsity official said multiple roads cutting through the private land will not only be a threat to security of girl students but also violate University Grants Commission (UGC) norm that a university can function only in a single campus.

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA) have prepared a Local Area Plan (LAP) to improve connectivity, sustainability and road planning in brown field, or already developed, areas of the city. Under LAP, they have designed Transit Orientation Plan to give better connectivity — walkability and commuting in the areas — via Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) and proposed Metro project.

As part of LAP, two roads have been proposed through the GU campus: a 24-metre wide and 1-km long road from boys’ hostel campus to Helmet Crossroads (for Metro connectivity) and another 24-metre wide and 750-metre long road from Samras hostel to 132-feet ring road (for BRTS connectivity).

Why GU’s opposing LAP

GU has already received intimation notice from the civic authorities. Vice Chancellor Himanshu Pandya said: “We have raised objection to the plan of building public roads on our private land. We are an autonomous university and if the campus is divided into parts by developing public roads in the campus, we will end up flouting the UGC norm of one university, one educational campus. This will affect our NAAC accreditation, to say the least.”

The GU campus is spread across 260-acre land, including academic campus, Convention Centre, the proposed Sports City nears boys’ hostel, staff residential quarters, Samras hostel, a girls’ hostel and a private girls’ hostel. LAP may force the varsity to demolish a portion of hostels that fall in the way of roads and end up fragmenting the campus.

“The present campus is about 40 years’ old. Varsity is spending a lot of money to renovate hostels. Public roads will steal the campus of its tranquility and peace besides raising security concerns,” said Ashok Chavda, Assistant Warden of boy’s hostel campus.

LAP will also impact GU’s plan to close the campus from all directions to make it secure and convenient for teaching staff and students. Under this plan, GU will create the main entry gate near the State Bank of India branch.

The two proposed roads will effectively ruin the GU plan, said its officials.

Students oppose LAP

Astudent living in one of the girls’ hostels said: “There are three girls’ hostels here. What about our security? The proposal will put the hostels on the main road. Authorities should take note of this aspect.”

Another masters’ degree student, residing in the boys’ hostel, said: “The roads will pose a major distraction. Majority of inmates of the boys’ hostel are enrolled in Masters, MPhil and PhD courses.”

AUDA officials justify LAP AUDA officials said LAP offers Floor Space Index (FSI) of 4 across the 200 metre buffer space along the BRTS corridor.

“Keeping future development under consideration, we have come up with Transit Oriented Zone. The idea is to provide connectivity to commuters and students, who can get off the BRTS or Metro stands and walk the distance within the campus. It will also be possible to drive down the campus.

With rising traffic congestion, the proposed roads will decongest main roads,” said an AUDA official.

AUDA officials also pointed out that GU campus is not the only private place where public roads have been proposed. However, Ahmedabad Education Society (AES), which owns a sizeable chunk of land in the GU campus, has suggested changes in the plan. LAP has already been passed by the AUDA board and sent to the State government for approval.

A B Gor, CEO of AUDA, said if GU officials submit their grievances, AUDA will take note. “We will look into varsity’s grievances and take apt measures, if at all required,” he said.