Project Description

Ramrajya Nagar in East Ahmedabad is a high-density working-class neighborhood, where 93% of land is privately owned and only 5% is reserved for open public space. It is far below the 20-25% recommended by URDPFI guidelines. Over 53% of land is built-up, while 47% is occupied by streets, vacant, underutilized plots. Running through this urban congestion is the Kharicut Canal. Once a vital water system is now polluted with industrial effluents. The state proposed a six-lane corridor, treating the canal as a transit zone ignoring its social and ecological potential. 

Our proposal reimagines 1.64km stretch of the canal into a blue-green spine. The proposal places equal emphasis on people, ecology, and mobility. The zoning organizes the corridor into community, commercial, and ecological zones. Design elements like children’s parks, temples, amphitheaters, local markets, food plazas, biodiversity trails, and fitness courts are introduced. They are connected by cycle tracks and shaded pedestrian walkways to ensure walk-ability. 

The proposal dedicates 47% of the total corridor width to public open spaces and carriageway up to 53% through strategic right-of-way optimization. This spatial balance promotes healing at various levels. Socially by enabling interaction & gathering. Ecologically by restoring biodiversity and cooling micro-climates. Psychologically by offering belonging and healing. The canal becomes a collective healing ground, re-connecting fragmented lives and surroundings.