For Sustainable Transport, Gujarat Bets On 'Green' Ring Roads In 17 Cities

The plan is based on the report of an expert advisory committee, formed under the chairmanship of the Principal Secretary of the state Urban Development Department.

The department has also been directed to conduct technical and environmental reviews of the detailed project reports (DPRs) related to the project. A total expenditure of Rs 200 crore has been outlined for the project for the current financial year.

A senior Urban Development Department official said that following the project's announcement in the current year’s state budget, the expert advisory committee was constituted under the chairmanship of the Principal Secretary.

The aim was to promote climate-resilient and sustainable infrastructure to establish systematic transportation and an efficient road network. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has approved the standard operating procedure (SOP) for the implementation of the scheme.

The official added that the idea of constructing green ring roads around cities to ensure faster connectivity between different parts of a city — without having to enter the city’s core, and to divert traffic away from urban areas — had been under consideration for a long time.

For instance, the Sardar Patel Ring Road was developed around Ahmedabad. Here too, in places where it does not touch the city's peripheries, expansion will be carried out under the project.

As per the committee’s recommendations, advanced green/clean construction technology and materials will be used extensively in the development of the ring roads. To enhance the beauty of cities and their environmental value, the SOP also includes provisions for developing greenery along both sides of these roads.

In addition, sustainable integration will cover carriageways, medians and shoulders, drainage and rainwater management, road utilities, tree plantation, traffic management, and road safety facilities.

In cities where green ring roads are to be developed, the SOP mandates that at least 25 per cent of the materials used for construction should be recycled, to reduce dependency on new resources and promote a circular economy. Furthermore, municipal corporations have been advised to ensure that maximum energy consumption in such projects is met through the use of renewable energy.

Key Recommendations

Chaired by M Thennarasan, Principal Secretary, Urban Development Department, the inputs from senior officials, environmental experts, road construction engineers, and traffic planning specialists in the expert advisory committee included:

• Guidance provided for eco-friendly road design in cities.
• Suggestions made to reduce vehicular pollution and increase green cover.
• Encouragement for pedestrian and bicycle tracks.
• Focus on rainwater harvesting.
• Use of solar lighting and recycled materials.
• Technical guidance to be provided to municipal corporations and related agencies.

17 Cities To Have Green Ring Roads

Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Gandhinagar, and the newly formed municipal corporations of Mehsana, Gandhidham, Vapi, Navsari, Anand, Surendranagar, Nadiad, Morbi, and Porbandar will have green ring roads.