What is Ahmedabad's new Rs 96 crore ‘Urban House’ project?

Ahmedabad, June 3 (NationPress) The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has announced its ambitious project to establish a modern ‘Urban House’, a centralized hub designed to consolidate all essential urban planning services in one location.

This initiative is a significant step under the Urban Development Year 2025 program, aimed at innovating civic services and streamlining processes related to land and infrastructure. With a projected investment of Rs 96 crore, the ‘Urban House’ is anticipated to be completed within two and a half years.

Officials have indicated that this center will minimize bureaucratic bottlenecks while promoting transparency and accountability in urban governance. The proposed ‘Urban House’ will amalgamate the functions of AMC's Urban Development, City Planning, and Estate departments, allowing citizens to obtain vital services such as zoning certificates, part plans, development permissions, F-forms, betterment charge assessments, and various land-related approvals all from a single venue.

The project is expected to be situated at F.P. No. 441, T.P. Scheme No. 3 in Ellisbridge (Changispur), located conveniently near the N.C.C. Circle–Nagari Hospital road.

Occupying an area of 5,304 sq m with a total constructed area of 26,360 sq m, the 13-storey structure will feature two basements, a ground floor, and ten upper floors. The building will house offices for the Building Plan Scrutiny and Permission (BPSP) cell, City Planning division, and Town Development Officer (TDO), along with essential infrastructure like a GIS cell, record storage facilities, training centers, a cafeteria, and offices for senior officials.

The design also includes community-oriented spaces such as a terrace garden-canteen and conference halls equipped with modern amenities and high-speed Wi-Fi. Green infrastructure is a core aspect of the project’s vision.

AMC is aiming for a Platinum Rating from the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC), with features like solar panels, water conservation systems, wastewater recycling, energy-efficient architecture, and eco-friendly materials to ensure long-term sustainability.

The facility will also feature a 1,055 sq m landscaped garden and a 138 sq m roof garden. Parking facilities are set to accommodate 140 cars and 1,184 motorcycles across the two basement levels.

In light of the expanding scale of urban planning operations, AMC officials highlighted a significant increase in revenue from these departments over the last three fiscal years – Rs 1,170 crore in 2022–23, Rs 2,017 crore in 2023–24, and Rs 2,765 crore in 2024–25 – culminating in total earnings of Rs 5,952 crore.