TRAFFIC AMC PLANS ISLANDS DESIGNER IN CITY Municipal ...

TRAFFIC AMC PLANS ISLANDS DESIGNER IN CITY

Municipal Corporation and NID plan to develop theme-based traffic circles to
reflect the character of the neighborhood and give new look to roads; also on the
anvil are tree guards and dustbins

Amdavad streets are all set to get a new look with theme-based traffic islands,
dustbins and tree guards. Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has approached National
Institute of Design for giving an identity to crossroads. Besides, the institute is also
working on the design of dustbins which will be called ‘Little Bin Dustbin’, said highly
placed sources in the civic body.

Mayor Meenaxiben Patel, who is an ex-officio member of the NID governing
body, had a meeting with a faculty member and students of NID at her office at Sardar
Bhavan in Danapith to discuss the project. Senior officials from parks and gardens
department of AMC also gave their input during the meeting.

When contacted, Patel said, “It’s true that we are in talks with NID to develop
circles with different themes. We had a meeting with the students and their faculty on
Friday. There are a few well developed circles, but none of these has any theme to it.
Private parties have either developed them or they maintain them.”

“The first location we have identified is the place near police quarters on S G
Highway near Makarba. We are planning to make a circle with Ekta or unity as the theme
as Hindu and Muslim communities live in the area peacefully,” Patel told M i r r o r.

“Each of our areas has some identity which we can stress upon by having a theme
circle there. These circles can send out message among the people coming from there or
passing by. Currently we are working on these themes,” she said.

Students have also been asked to make design for dustbins with new look which
AMC plans to call ‘Little bin dustbin’.

Also, they will come up with new design for tree guards in the city, she said.

“First and foremost, we have asked traffic police for their view on Makarba
crossroads to begin with. We would also conduct, a survey of the road inter sections
where islands could be built. Space available will determine the size of the circles as we
have to take into account the flow of traffic in that area,” the mayor said.

Private parties could be roped in to maintain the circles once they are developed,
Patel added.

Prof P Ramakrishna Rao, head of NID’s Department of Integrated Design
Services, who accompanied the students to the meeting with the mayor, said, “The mayor
wants us to develop some theme-based circles and even enhance the look of some of the

existing ones. Our students will also design dustbins which AMC wants to put in gardens
and parks.”

Things are being worked out and soon there will be another meeting with AMC
officials to finalize the details, Prof Rao added.

Makarba crossroads will get the first traffic island with a theme. (Inset) The traffic circle
near Kankaria points to the existence of Kamla Nehru zoo in the vicinity

Each of our areas has some identity which we can stress upon by having a theme circle
there. These circles can send out message among the people coming from there or
passing by. Currently we are working on these themes
MEENAXI PATEL Mayor

The mayor wants us to develop some theme-based circles and even enhance the look of
some of the existing ones. Our students will also design dustbins which AMC wants to
put in gardens and parks
PROF P RAMAKRISHNA RAO NID

SOURCE: - AHMEDABAD MIRROR