PORTFOLIO

Shifting Identities of the Fringes

Odhav, Ahmedabad

PUH21178
Understanding the City Studio | M2021
Faculty of Planning | CEPT University
Agricultural Land, Odhav
 PREFACE
The portfolio focuses on understanding the Ahmedabad city through
the lens of a precinct of 1 sqkm of Odhav locality. The portfolio talks
about what has triggered Odhav to keep changing its identity from
agricultural land to industrial estate to residential settlement and
then commercial establishments. Photos placed at the beginning
and the end of the portfolio depicts these changes.

First and second part of the portfolio is about the insights and
overview of Ahmedabad city and Odhav precinct. Third part talks
about the causes and outcomes of the changes that has been
happening to the area. Forth part talks about the people of Odhav
and their houses and jobs and trade offs they make for a better living.

The reports concludes on the base of analysis and findings the

author gained throughout the study period of Odhav Precinct.
Industries of Odhav GIDC, Odhav
 TABLE OF CONTENT
1. Ahmedabad : A Growing Radial City 6
1.1 Ahmedabad Insights 7
1.2 Evolution and Transformation 8
1.3 Road Network and Transportation 10
2. Odhav : A Precinct of the East 12
2.1 Odhav at a Glance 13
2.2 Visual Expression 14
2.3 History and Evolution 15
3. A Revamping Land Parcel in the Fringes 16
3.1 Understanding Land Use pattern 17
3.2 Land Development 18
3.3 FSI Consumption 19
3.4 Monotony in Building Typology 20
3.5 Publicness of the Precinct 22
3.6 Connectivity of the Precinct 26
4. People of Odhav 30
4.1 Housing Scenario of the Precinct 31
4.2 Gentrification in Odhav 32
4.3 Trade offs in Transportation 36

CONCLUSION 38
BIBLIOGRAPHY 40
CHAPTER 1
Ahmedabad : A Growing Radial City

Source : displate.com
 AHMEDABAD |
1.1 Ahmedabad Insights
Population
55.7 Lakhs

Spatial Area
466 sqkm

Urban Local Body

Amdavad Municipal Corporation

Zone
7

Ward
64

Economic Identity
Commercial

Total Workers
19.5 Lakhs (Urban)
Economy Centers of Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad is located near the banks of the Sabarmati River. It falls south to the capital of Gujarat –
Gandhinagar - the twin city of Ahmedabad. The city has been selected amongst 100 Indian city for Smart
City Mission. Ahmedabad city has always been the forerunner in industrial sector. Eastern part of the city
has mills and industrial estates whereas the western parts blooms with commercial activities. Remote
towns of the city such as Sanand and Bawla are hub for automobile and pharmaceutical industry.

7
1.2 Evolution and Transformation

1411 1900 1920 1940 1960 2020

Evolution of Ahmedabad

1411 Old Ahmedabad was built as a fort city on the east bank of Sabarmati River.
1900 Initially city expanded on the east side due to rise of textile mills, engulfing nearby villages.
1920 As technology developed and bridges were built, the city started to grow on the west side.
1940 Development on the east side of the city paced slow because of the fall of the mills.
1960 Gujarat state was separated from Grater Bombay and rapid development started.
2020 City continued growing on the north and south side also, including outer areas into AMC.

8 AMC = Amdavad Municipal Corporation

 AHMEDABAD |

2001 2008 2015 2020

Spatial Expansion of Ahmedabad

2001 Ring and radial roads had been developed. The city has expanded to a greater extent. 2001 Bhuj
earthquake and 2002 riots had shattered the city, pausing it development for a while.
2008 Development had resumed proposing new project to uplift the city, like Sabarmati Riverfront
Development, BRTS and more ring roads to enhance the connectivity of the city.
2015 Peripheral economy centers like Bopal, Chandkheda, etc were included into AMC boundary.
2020 Introduction of METRO transportation system will lead the city to a different direction.

Source : M. Patel. (PUH20201) | BRTS = Bus Rapid Transit System, AUDA = Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority 9
1.3 Road Network and Transportation

Road Network Map of Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad has developed radially, thus the road network of the city consists Ring and Radial roads. Ring
roads connect areas which are at the same distance from the city center. Ring roads are concentric roads.
Radial roads dissect the city. Radial roads connect farther areas to the city center. The junction where ring
and radial roads meet have high public activities and job opportunities.

10
 AHMEDABAD |

Transportation Systems of Ahmedabad

Ahmedabad city has varied transportation systems that provides last mile connectivity. AMTS, BRTS,
GMRC (Metro) are public transportation systems, whereas intermediate public transport systems like
rickshaws, tuk tuk and mybyk are the main source that provides last mile connectivity. Ahmedabad is one
of the city with successful BRTS system. Metro system is currently being installed in the city.

Source : wctrs-society.com | AMTS = Ahmedabad Municipal Trasport Service, GMRC = Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation 11
CHAPTER 2
Odhav : A Precinct of the East
 ODHAV |
2.1 Odhav at a Glance
Distance From Center
14 km

Zone
East zone

Ward
Odhav

Predominant Typology
Residential

Connectivity
Arterial Road

Smallest Footprint
9 sqmt

Largest Footprint
5250 sqmt

Aerial Image of Odhav Precinct

Odhav is situated on the easternmost part of the city. Odhav’s location

suggests that it was developed recently. The precinct is a neighboring
residential settlement of the established industrial estate of Odhav. The
precinct is predominantly made of small sized grain of residential blocks.

Odhav in City’s Context

13
2.2 Visual Expression

Larger Grain Size

of the Industries

Smaller Grain Size

of the Residences

Unused Open
Imagining Odhav Precinct Plots
Primary building use can be seen clearly. Larger
grain size suggests industries and smaller grain size
suggests residences. Primary observation of the
precinct is the building typology. Small size grain
placed formally shows a housing community of row-
houses. Second major observation is open plots
which are not being used at its potential. Arterial ring Emerging High -
road - S P Ring Road dissecting the precinct visually, Rise Buildings
physically and spatially. High-rise buildings can be
seen emerging on the arterial and collector roads.

14

2.3 History and Evolution
2003
Introduction of S P Ring Road
which was proposed in CDP
2002 made the connectivity
of the precinct stronger to
the farther most areas of the
city.
GIDC = Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation, CDP = Comprehensive Development Plan, OIE = Odhav Industrial Estate
2010
Increase in high rise
commercial and mixed use
buildings such as commercial
– residential & commercial –
industrial due to changes in
FSI usage in 2002 CDP.
2015
Resurfacing of roads made
connectivity within the
precinct strong. Extension
of OIE started to emerge on
the eastern side of the Road
which falls out of AMC.
ODHAV |
2021
Introduction of Odhav over
bridge on the S P Ring Road
which is a part of NH8, made
the traffic flow easy and that
fueled up the development in
the precinct.
15
CHAPTER 3
A Revamping Land Parcel in the Fringes
 LAND & BUILDING |
3.1 Understanding Land Use Pattern
Agricultural
5%

Industrial
8%

Residential
40%

Commercial
2%

Vacant
4%

Public Open Space

4%

Amenities
1%

Land Use Map

Roads
Industrial estate has stopped expanding and residential and commercial
33%
land development has happened. Beyond S P Ring Road, lands follows
different by-laws, thus warehouses and small scaled less polluted indus-
tries has developed. Commercial developments can be seen along side Others
the arterial and collector roads. Agricultural lands are untouched. 3%

17
3.2 Land Development

Before 1968 1968 - 1985 1985 - 2010 2010 - Present

Land Use Land Use Land Use Land Use

Agricultural Industrial Residential Commercial

Odhav is 14km away Under The Gujarat As a part of Development Development Plan of
from the city centre. Industrial Development Plan of 1987, Odhav 2002 imposed two
Odhav was a Gamtal Act – 1962, three was included into AMC major changes. Change
before 1968. Thus, industrial estates were boundary and the of the residential zone
surrounding area of the to be established on industries were shifted to accommodate more
Gamtal was agricultural the east side of the to the outer side of FSI and introduction
land. city. Odhav was one of the city. This changed of S P Ring Road for
them. This changed the remaining agricultural better connectivity. This
agricultural land use to land use to residential welcomed developers
industrial land use. land use to invite more to built commercial set
residents. ups.

18
 LAND & BUILDING |
3.3 FSI Consumption
Total Floor Space
8,78,923 m2

Net FSI
2.2

Gross FSI
0.9

Lowest FSI
0.1

Highest FSI
3.2

Residential Floor Space

7,08,815 m2

Residential Net FSI

1.6

Plot Wise Floor Space Index

Non - Residential Floor
Due to non - gated row-houses, the ground cover counts as a plot. In
Space
such row-houses, the building is built edge to edge on the plot sharing
common walls. This results into higher net FSI in the precinct. The 1,44,774 m2
industries are only one floor high and their ground cover are much lesser
than plot area. This results into moderate gross FSI. Non - Residential Net FSI
0.7
FSI = Floor Space Index 19
3.4 Monotony in Building Typology
Number of DU
6168

DU (Row-house)
4,565

Average FSI
2

Average Ground Cover

80%

Typical Row-house Street

Building Typology Map

First row-house settlement was established in 1987, just after the CDP
of 1987 which allows residential land use in Odhav with hight restriction,
as the land use changed from agricultural to residential, land size were
huge. Thus, row-houses were built in bulk until CDP 2002 allowed high
-rise building to be built in Odhav. This have influenced the dominance
and monotony of the building typology being row-houses Row-house

20DU = Dwelling Unit

 LAND & BUILDING |
Building Typology
Row-house

Ground Coverage
100%

Built Up Area
80 m2

Consumed FSI
1.5

Typical Row-house Iso View Typical Row-house Section

Row-house allows street interaction. The shown row-house is situated on the Shopping Center Street
which is busiest street in the precinct. Children and women halt here to have a chat with the residents.
Elder resident is observed spending his most of the time outside the house.

21
3.5 Publicness of the Precinct
Private Space
67%

Public Space
33%

Unregulated Space
6%

Regulated Space
27%

Public Open Space (Industrial)

Noli’s Map

Odhav precinct is still in developing phase. In spite of having fairly pop-

ulated precinct and public open lands and vacant lands, there are no
maintained public open spaces in the precinct. AMC has developed
one park for children to play but due to its ill-maintenance it is not used.
Open land parcels in the precinct are littered by either the industries
or the residents. In absence of public open space, where is the public Public Open Space (Residential)
realm?
22
 LAND & BUILDING |

Public Open Space Public Realm

In the absence of designated public space, public realm is created by the spilled over commercial activities

Introduction of Public Realm on Shopping Center Street

1 Buildings which are designated to commercial and residential use.

2 First floor of the commercial building converted into institutional.
3 To accommodate deducted commercials, ground floor of the residences converted into commercial.

23
 Celebration of Festivities

Busy Shopping Center Street

Busiest Hour at Shopping Center Street

Due to various commercial, institutional and religious

activities, Shopping Center Street is always busy.
Having residences throughout the street makes the
street safe. Vehicular movements are restricted to
two-wheeler and three-wheeler. People beyond the
S P Ring Road come to Shopping Center Street to
avail day - to - day life necessities.
Shopping Center

24
 LAND & BUILDING |

Men gather in the street to celebrate festivals

Women stand in the front yard to observe festivities
Children sit on the compound wall to be a part of the activity
Set up to for the festivities organized in the street

Men gather in front of the shop to chat

Women use street to commute to Sabji Mandi
Children play on street
Vehicles are parked on the footpath
Cattle roam around freely

Men gather in front of the

shop to chat
Women gathering around
food stalls
Children play on street
Vehicles are parked on
shop front
Food stalls placed on
footpath

25
3.6 Connectivity of the Precinct

Road Hierarchy Road Connectivity

Street Density Connected Node Ratio

27.1% 0.77

Area Under Road Link Node Ratio

33.5% 1.42

Collector Road diverts from arterial roads and then The precinct is fairly connected but there are dead
branch out to become local road that provides last ends ending at society level which doesn’t affect
mile connectivity. much on local level.

Due to industries, roads in the precinct are heavily trafficked. While residential lanes
are quite. What are the repercussions of this?
26
 LAND & BUILDING |

Arterial Road : S P Ring Road : Section and Image

S P Ring Road is part of Delhi-Mumbai corridor and it’s always filled

with heavy traffic of heavy vehicles like trucks and buses. S P Ring
Road encircles the city, connecting peripheral areas to each other.
Thus, S P Ring Road attracts local traffic as well. S P Ring Road consists
of 5 parts - one, a Median - which divides the road into two parts,
two, a Carriage Way - on which vehicular movement is allowed, three,
Buffer - that separates carriageway from service road four, Service
Road - which is used to access the buildings on the road and five,
Parking.

Precinct’s Context

27
 Precinct’s Context Collector Road : Suvas Oram Road : Section and Image

Collector road - Suvas Oram Road is used for diverted traffic that leads to the OIE (Odhav Industrial
Estate). The heavy vehicles have impacted the road in a way that the road now serves a different purpose
than commuting. Residential buildings on this road have retail and non-retail commercial shops on the
ground floor that sell day to day necessity goods and services like grocery, laundry etc. These shops have
parking space in front of them that usually goes till the footpath which is fairly covered with trees. This
place is usually used as a resting place for the shopkeepers, where shopkeepers meet and have a chat
over tea.

28
 LAND & BUILDING |

Precinct’s Context Local Roads : Adinath Society and Vankar Society : Section and Image

The local roads in residential settlements are mainly used to connect the main collector road to the
individual houses. These roads do not have traffic flow. The footpaths of the roads are used for parking
two wheelers. The main carriageway of the road is used for pedestrian movement. Apart from this, these
lanes are semi private lanes meaning, they are accessible and important only to the people residing on
these lanes. These people sometimes gather on the street for social interaction. Females gather at the
threshold of the house in the group and perform few day to day activities like vegetable cutting and
laundry folding while having a chat with neighbors. Apart from this, elderly people often lay down on the
street under trees to relax and chat with the pedestrians.

29
CHAPTER 4
People of Odhav
 PEOPLE |
4.1 Housing Scenario of the Precinct
Number of Dwelling Units
6168

DU (Apartment)
1,542 (25%)

DU (Row-house)
4,565 (74%)

House Owned
65.5%

HH with Good Condition

74.1%

HH with Drinking Water

88.9%

HH with Toilet
94.1%

Housing Typologies

Housing scenario of the precinct is created as a result of industrialization. As GIDC established OIE, peo-
ple started migrating from nearby town and villages for better employment opportunities. That has cre-
ated housing demand. The houses must be affordable looking at the migrant’s situation. Land owners
started converting their agricultural land for residential land. Thus, there are larger land parcel with row-
house building typology.

HH = Household 31
4.2 Gentrification in Odhav

Establishment of an Industrial Estate Triggers Chain Migration, Affecting Migrants’ Trade-offs. What is
Chain Migration? Movement in which prospective migrants learn of opportunities, are provided with
transportation, and have initial accommodation and employment arranged by the virtue of previous
migrants’ settlement.
What is Chain Migration?

1° 2nd Generation
Migrants

Self - Employed : Factory Owner Salaried Employee : Teacher

32 Source : aer.eu
 PEOPLE |

Chain Migration in Odhav

2° 1st Generation
Migrants

Informal Worker : Tailor Casual Worker : Street Vendor

Source : favpng.com, freepik.com, canstockphoto.com, alamy.com 33

 Housing and
Finance Condition

Self - Employed : Factory Owner Salaried Employee : Teacher

Total HH Income : 50,000 Rs Total HH Income : 45,000 Rs
Savings : 5,000 Rs Savings : 10,000 Rs
Housing Condition : 3BHK, Semi – Detached, Front Yard Housing Condition :1BHK, Row - Houses
Vehicles Owned : 1 Four Wheeler, 3 Two Wheeler Vehicles Owned : 1 Two Wheeler
Total HH Income : 50,000 Rs Total HH Income : 45,000 Rs
Savings : 5,000 Rs Savings : 10,000 Rs
Child’s Education : 8,000 Rs / month / Child ( 1 ) Child’s Education : NA
Social Life : Proximity to Social Circle Social Life : Proximity to Social Circle

34
 PEOPLE |

Housing and
Finance Condition

Informal Worker : Tailor Casual Worker : Street Vendor

Total HH Income : 15,000 Rs Total HH Income : 10,000 Rs
Savings : 1,000 Rs Savings : 500 Rs
Housing Condition : 1HK, Near S P Ring Road Housing Condition : 1BHK
Vehicles Owned : 1 Two Wheeler Vehicles Owned : 1 Bicycle
Total HH Income : 15,000 Rs Total HH Income : 10,000 Rs
Savings : 1,000 Rs Savings : 500 Rs
Child’s Education : 1,000 Rs / month / Child ( 4 ) Child’s Education : 800 Rs / month / Child ( 1 )
Social Life : Away from Social Circle Social Life : Away from Social Circle

35
4.3 Trade offs in Transport
Jobs are Generated in Cities in Different Spaces in Different Times Based
on Ongoing Economic Activities that Escalates Chain Migration. This Kind
of Chain Migration Generally Trades Housing Choices Off with Jobs and
Transportation.

But What Happens When the 2nd Generation of 1° Migrants

have a Choice to Continue Working like 1st Generation or
Perusing an Entirely New Direction for Livelihood?

Self - Employed : Transportation Choices

Intermediate Public Transport

Home Location : Adinath Nagar, Odhav
Work Location : Civil Hospital, Asarva
Distance : 12 km
Time : 45 min
Mode of Travel : IPT
Travel Expense per Month : 600 Rs / Person

Private Transport
Distance : 12 km
Time : 30 min
Mode of Travel : Two Wheeler
Travel Expense per Month : 3,000 Rs

36 Source : shutterstock.com | IPT = Intermediate Public Transport

 PEOPLE |
The Balance Between the Supply of Travel
Options and Individual Preferences is What
Determines Transportation Choice.
This Kind of Transportation Choices are
often Dictated by Different Socio – Economic
Conditions.

Salaried : Transportation Choices

Public Transport
Home Location : Adinath Nagar, Odhav
Work Location : Dahej, Bharuch
Distance : 220 km
Time : 5 hrs (3 trips : 30 min – 3 hrs – 1.5 hrs)
Mode of Travel : Railway
Travel Expense per Month : 4,000 Rs

Private Transport
Distance : 220 km
Time : 5 hrs
Mode of Travel : Four Wheeler
Travel Expense per Month : 12,000 Rs

Source : freepik.com 37
 CONCLUSION
As time goes by and the city expanded, remote areas around the
city included within the city limits resulting change in the land use
in these areas. Odhav precinct has been witnessing these changes
throughout the years. As it was included in the Ahmedabad Municipal
Corporation, development in the area took a different direction
from industrialization and focused on residential settlements. For
instance, introduction of an Industrial Estate then implementation
of new town planning schemes resulting in residential development,
introduction of new infrastructure and new building typology to
cater the residential settlements. Due to these changes, level of
migration changes too. People who were migrating to avail better
employment in the industry sectors now are migrating to offer
service based employment to cater to the people migrated because
of the industries. These changes are clearly visible on the streets as
we move around, giving us glimpses of shifting identities.

38
Residential Settlements, Odhav
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ahmedabad District, Government of Gujarat (2021). History.
https://ahmedabad.nic.in/history/

Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (1987). Revised Development Plan 1987 Map.
https://www.auda.org.in/RDP/

Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (2002). Revised Development Plan 2002 Map.
https://www.auda.org.in/RDP/

Census of India (2011). Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India . India.
https://censusindia.gov.in/

Eppell, V.A.T. (Tony) and McClurg, Brett A and Bunker, Jonathan M (2001). A four level road hierarchy
for network planning and management. In Jaeger, Vicki, Eds. Proceedings 20th ARRB Conference,
Melbourne.
https://eprints.qut.edu.au/2349/1/2349.pdf

Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (1962). Acts & Rules.

https://gidc.gujarat.gov.in/pdf/act-and-rules/Gujarat-Act-No-XXIII-of-1962.pdf

Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India (2011). Service Level Benchmark, Urban
Transport.
http://utbenchmark.in/UsersidePages/CityProfile.aspx?City=1

M. Patel. (2020). Nuclear Economic centre for Western Ahmedabad. Understanding the City. Published
portfolio. CEPT Portfolio. CEPT University.
https://portfolio.cept.ac.in/2020/M/fp/understanding-the-city-studio-up4002-
monsoon-2020-8121/nuclear-economic-centre-for-western-ahmedabad-monsoon-
2020-puh20201

Town Planning and Valuation Department. Town Planning Scheme No. 104 (Odhav).
https://townplanning.gujarat.gov.in//monitoring/documents/Milestone-documents/08D3
9E8840FDB77F43wzeqz3acl3.pdf

Town Planning and Valuation Department. Town Planning Scheme No. 112 (Odhav).
https://townplanning.gujarat.gov.in//monitoring/documents/Milestone-documents/08D2
98D45855CBE9wzpc2m1hanqk.pdf

Urban Management Centre (UMC). (2012). Public-Private Partnership for Road Infrastructure
Development. Mega Cities...Poised for Change, Leading Practices Catalogue, 2-7.
https://www.auda.org.in/uploads/Assets/librarycatalogue/ring_road.pdf

Images / maps without any source mentioned are taken from Google Earth or produced in ArcGIS or
captured on the site by the author

40
Commercial Establishments, Odhav
Shifting Identities of the Fringes Understanding the City
Case of Odhav, Ahmedabad Foundation Studio
PUH21178 | M2021 Faculty of Planning | CEPT University