Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Monday, 9 November 2026, inaugurated two key civic facilities in Ahmedabad — an advanced library in Jodhpur Ward and a two-storey Urban Primary Health Centre in the Gota-Science City area. The health centre is expected to serve approximately 80,000 residents across 17 surrounding localities, including nearly 46,700 people living in slum settlements. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel attended both ceremonies.

Knowledge Hub: A Modern Learning Space in Jodhpur Ward

The library, formally named the Knowledge Hub, has been built near Tapas Bungalows in Jodhpur Ward under the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's (AMC) South-West Zone at an estimated cost of ₹15.60 crore. The project was developed under the civic body's 2024-25 budget with the aim of expanding access to educational resources for students and young people.

The facility is designed to support learning and research in science and technology, while also providing space for creative pursuits such as writing and drawing. It will function as a shared knowledge exchange platform, enabling students to work on academic projects and access subject-specific information in a structured environment.

The inauguration was attended by Ahmedabad Mayor Hitesh Barot, Jodhpur MLA Babubhai Patel, Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani, Deputy Mayor Anju Shah, Standing Committee Chairman Kamlesh Patel, Municipal Ruling Party Leader Jashu Thakor, and other public representatives.

Urban Primary Health Centre: Broad Services for Underserved Areas

The newly inaugurated health centre in the Gota-Science City zone is a two-storey facility equipped with approximately 20 rooms and staffed by around 40 trained healthcare professionals. Its service basket covers general outpatient consultations, minor emergency care, dog-bite vaccination, screening for non-communicable diseases, paediatric and geriatric consultations, and treatment for eye and skin ailments.

Routine treatments for illnesses such as cold, cough, fever, diarrhoea and vomiting are also available, alongside management of diabetes and high blood pressure. Special nutritional supplements for children, pregnant women and senior citizens, as well as physiotherapy facilities, have been incorporated into the centre's offerings.

The facility is equipped to conduct 21 types of laboratory tests, bringing diagnostic services closer to residents who might otherwise face barriers to accessing hospitals. It will additionally provide school health screening and assistance with birth and death registration — services rarely bundled into primary urban health infrastructure.

Part of a ₹1,024 Crore Development Drive

The two inaugurations formed part of a broader civic development programme rolled out during Shah's visit to Ahmedabad, which saw 30 projects worth a combined ₹1,024 crore either inaugurated or given the go-ahead for foundation laying. The projects span housing, water supply, renewable energy, education and healthcare.

Among the previously announced initiatives were urban health centres in Gota and Chandlodia, developed at a combined cost of ₹9.19 crore. The AMC has framed these efforts as part of a sustained push to expand civic amenities in step with the city's rising population.

Significance for Ahmedabad's Urban Poor

The concentration of services — from laboratory diagnostics and physiotherapy to nutrition support and school health checks — under one roof marks a departure from the limited scope of earlier primary health infrastructure in peri-urban Ahmedabad. The fact that nearly 46,700 of the 80,000 projected beneficiaries are slum residents underscores the facility's focus on underserved communities. This is consistent with AMC's broader mandate to address service gaps as the city's informal settlements expand alongside its formal growth corridors.

Further rollout of similar facilities across other AMC zones is expected as the corporation advances its civic expansion agenda.