2. Gamtals: The urban villages of Ahmedabad

Urban Villages of Ahmedabad Gamtals

There are approximately 156 gmatals across the entire AMC boundary. According to the Development Plans, the urban villages are demarcated as a separate region under “Gamtal” with separate developmental regulations and different set of infrastructure policies.

Navrangpura Gam

This results in Gamtals becoming islands of very distinct urbanities, growing inwards as the rest of the city follows a separate developmetal arc. The Gamtals are still characterized by an idyllic village environment with dense built form, narrow streets and very stark divisive lines of caste and community. Looking at four different Gamtals across the city, the varying degrees of densification and urbanization around them shows the four different stages of a Gamtal in the city,

Vastrapur Gam

Thaltej Gam Makarba Gam

The biggest village Makarba is situated on the outskirts of the city, still away from the urbanization process. In comparison, Navrangpura is the smallest, located in the heart of one of the most expensive neighbourhoods of the city. The scale is a reflection of the pressure on the village to assimilate with the city, in the process completey obliterating.