ahmedabad is now at the center of a major planning reset as the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA) begins work on a 20-year Development Plan stretching to 2041. The move comes even though the tenure of the existing Ahmedabad Development Plan-2021 ended nearly a year ago, marking a break from the usual practice of finalising a new plan before the old one expires. The shift is framed around long-term growth for Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, and their bid to host the 2036 Olympics.
Ahmedabad: AUDA shifts from a 10-year cycle to a 20-year DP-2041
AUDA has not yet finalised the draft of the new Development Plan, even as it confirms that work on the long-term blueprint has begun. Instead of following the traditional 10-year planning cycle, AUDA is preparing DP-2041, described as the city’s first development blueprint with a two-decade horizon.
The authority is seeking technical assistance from institutions such as the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and is also hiring additional staff through outsourcing. AUDA’s timeline for its prior plans was also laid out: its first draft plan, DP-2011, was prepared in 2001; the second plan, DP-2021, was drafted between 2011 and 2014 and approved by the state government in December 2014. AUDA says work has now started on the third plan, DP-2041.
DP-2041 work begins as Olympics-linked provisions are floated
In July 2022, AUDA’s board approved the proposal to prepare a 20-year Development Plan and sanctioned a dedicated DP Unit along with funds for consultants and operational expenses. The long-horizon approach is being positioned as a planning tool to match expected growth needs, while also aligning with Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar’s stated ambition connected to the 2036 Olympics bid.
Within that framing, provisions linked to the potential 2036 Olympics are being discussed, including development of sports infrastructure through public-private partnerships (PPP), with a focus on securing land. AUDA is also expected to prioritise about 20 villages within a 5-km radius outside the SP Ring Road for major infrastructure development.
Although the plan spans 20 years, a review clause after a decade may be included. In planning terms, that leaves room for course corrections without abandoning the longer horizon AUDA has chosen this time.
Immediate reactions: AUDA’s stated approach and technical tie-ups
AUDA has outlined its approach through its institutional actions: starting DP-2041 work, seeking technical assistance from Isro, and adding manpower through outsourcing to support the planning exercise. AUDA has also anchored the new plan to its July 2022 board decision, including the creation of a dedicated DP Unit and approved funding for consultants and operational expenses.
On the policy direction, AUDA’s earlier DP-2021 promoted a ‘Compact City’ model centered on public transport, allowing an FSI of 4. 0 along Metro and BRTS corridors and 5. 4 in the Ashram Road business district. For DP-2041, AUDA’s stated aim is to position Ahmedabad as a global metropolitan city.
Quick context
AUDA says the tenure of DP-2021 ended nearly a year ago, while the draft of the new plan is still not finalised. This time, the authority is shifting away from the standard 10-year cycle to a 20-year framework intended to guide longer-term growth planning.
What’s next for ahmedabad
The next immediate marker will be AUDA moving from work-in-progress to a finalised draft of DP-2041, including any formal provisions tied to the potential 2036 Olympics, PPP-led sports infrastructure, and land-focused planning. As AUDA advances the process with its DP Unit, consultants, and technical assistance, the key test will be how quickly the authority turns the new two-decade blueprint into an actionable plan for ahmedabad.
