Ahmedabad, Gujarat's globally recognized heritage city, takes center stage as it hosts the 6th Urban Twenty (U20) Mayoral Summit. Taking place at the Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar on July 7-8, the prestigious event comes as part of India's year-long G20 presidency which spans from 1st December, 2022 to 30th November, 2023.
In alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision, a series of nation-wide meetings have been held under the G20 presidency to discuss significant international issues. Among them, urbanization and urban amenity development have been a pivotal focus. The U20 initiative, representing cities from G20 member countries, was established to address these concerns.
The summit, bringing together mayors and dignitaries from different nations, will deliberate on subjects such as re-inventing urban governance, catalyzing a digital urban future, environmental protection, water security, climate finance, and nurturing local culture and economy. These topics are integral to the future development of cities worldwide.
Gujarat, India's most industrialized and urbanized state, has been a powerhouse of innovative urban development initiatives. In the past 18 months, the state approved 124 Town Planning Schemes (TP), accelerating urbanization. Six cities in Gujarat, including Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Gandhinagar, and Dahod, were chosen for the 'Smart City Mission', an initiative by the Government of India. A total of 281 development works have been completed at a cost of Rs 8963 crore under this mission.
As part of these development efforts, 'Diamond Research and Mercantile City' (Dream City) is being constructed in Surat to support the diamond industry and promote import-export and trade of diamond, precious stones, and jewelry.
Gujarat also prides itself on an advanced transportation infrastructure that includes an extensive road and rail network, international airports, and seaports. With the construction of overbridges and underbridges in the state's four metropolitan cities - Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Vadodara, and Surat - transportation has become smoother for residents.
The state's mass transit is expanding as well, with the Ahmedabad Metro operating on the Thaltej to Vastral route and the Surat Metro project progressing rapidly. Furthermore, the state inaugurated a new Vande Bharat train last year, equipped with 'Kavach' technology, connecting Gandhinagar to Mumbai. Under the Central Government's 'UDAN' scheme, air services have been initiated on 18 routes at 9 airports.
Urban housing projects have also seen significant progress. Under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), 7.50 lakh houses have been built in the state's urban areas. Ahmedabad, India's first heritage city, stands as a shining example of Gujarat's successful urbanization projects. Its unique blend of preserving cultural heritage while modernizing infrastructure makes it an ideal location for the U20 meetings.
