Going Clean… Ahmedabad!

We all have read stories in our school regarding cleanliness, we have learnt from our teachers not to litter or throw garbage and we definitely have heard that India, and ofcourse of our cities are the dirtiest places to be seen, and the people spit, litter and pee on the nooks and small corners if not the general roads.

Well on 4th June,2009, the AMC (Ahmedabad municipal corporation )took up a big endeavour by answering to the hues and cries of the uncleanliness and health problems in the city by introducing a mobile court alias a Court on Wheels.

Court on Wheels

It supposedly is the first step to bring up a 100% clean Ahmedabad and induce the feeling of responsibility among the citizens. It covered three major areas of Ahmedabad on thursday, catchin around 115 individuals, some peeing, some spitting, some wayside foodstall owners: responsible for littering and others to learn. The bus operated from 10.00 am to 6.30 pm.  It fined rs 50-500 for the fines and gave them warnings with receipts for the fines. The city majistrate and three constables were on the yellow van, specially modified with a single room.

It results from some hardwork put in by the team of the Mayor (‘Kanaji Thakore‘) and the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (‘D M Patel’) and the Municipal  commissioner (‘IP Gautam‘).

Ref: Ahmedabad Mirror, 4th june 2009.

Mobile Court

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Well its a great start. We can definitely be in the lines of cities like Chandigarh, Jamshedpur and even Surat (it is clean!! ). We still need many more of these and if possible the courts should also assess cases of smoking in public areas.

But wait on. Ahmedabad is sure trying to become more responsible alongwith becoming a mega city.

Ae Haalo.. Amdavad ni ser ma! ~Part 1~

Kankaria Lake..

Kankaria Lake

..is the largest man made lake in the Ahmedabad province of Gujarat. Being a product of the 15th century by a mughal ruler Sultan Kutubuddin, it still is the landmark of Ahmedabad and embarks upon the feeling and zeal of the people of the great city. It through the course of time has seen many a modifications and additions to its collar thereby increasing its tourist attraction. In the due course of time in the post independence era, there was a large zoo constructed and named – ‘Kamla nehru zoological garden‘.It boasts to be one of the best zoos in the western India and hosts to many a species of wildlife. The famous Reuben david had once been for long its curator. It also brings up a decent enough Aquarium comprising many a dozen types of domestic fishes, which few other cities in the surrounding areas lack.

Kankaria, also being in the most populous suburb of the city enjoys of getting more attention (apart from being Mr CM’s home seat), thereby getting an illustrious fun world – ‘Bal vatika‘: which has pieces of Indian art and history, bearing collections of early currencies from 1000 ad., multicultural doll house, model railway house, small exotic bird displays and many a rides thus making it a compact amusement park. Among the other attractions are Naginavadi: a central garden in the centre of the lake with hitech laser and fountain shows and cluster of junk food stalls and restaurants.

Atal Express

Provisions for boating and horse riding are made in and around the premises making it more attractive. New attractions like the circumfereting toy train- ATAL EXPRESS(specially made from UK) and vintage bus service with immaculate lightings of the place and slick marketing has surpassed people’s expectations about the place. Recently enough due to the lakefront development project, which was an intensive and fast track development of the infrastructure in the area alonwith increasing the facilities has proved to scale up the tourism in the place with atleast 25000-30000 people footings a day.

Now foodies like me, have a lot to look out for here. Kankaria is actually as much famous for its junk food as its for its amusement. Mouth watering gujarati dishes like Khichu, Bhel, Kachori, Pakodi, Chana mix, etc to spicy chinese and smacks. It has gross of a places to sit and eat. The only concern if i were any other person is to take care of the places of proper hygiene and prevent excess eating. Apart from these the area also has a Jaldhara water park sharing the compound and round the year football ground which hosts a varied amount of processions and festivals throughout the year ranging from semi annual Circus, dussehra, marriages and many a public exhibitions.

If i were you and were coming to Ahmedabad for the first time, i wouldn’t want to miss out this place. Not because this place has things which are unique, in some ways they aren’t but because it represents the spirit of Ahmedabadi and gujarati in whole.

Pin wheels

PS: No exaggeration here about the facts, others’ are just personal opinions.   If you do plan to come up anytime soon, dont ring me ‘coz i have been here 4 times in the past fortnight!!