Stay in the loop with the latest happenings in the city: from the upcoming Food Festival at Riverfront to Ahmedabad metro connectivity with GIFT City, the launch of Mobile Passport Seva, and more, all covered in this Ahmedabad News Roundup.
Food Festival at Riverfront from 8th to 10th March
A Food Festival at Sabarmati Riverfront’s Event Centre has been announced by the AMC. Scheduled from 8th to 10th March, the festival will run from 12 pm to 10 pm on these dates. Renowned chefs from around the world will conduct live demos, offering participants a chance to taste and experience global cuisines.
The event will exclusively feature vegetarian cuisine, and the entry fee will range from Rs 50 to Rs 1,000. Live cultural programs and performances are also planned for the evenings.
GIFT City and Ahmedabad to be connected by Metro soon
GIFT City, a rapidly emerging national hub for finance and IT, will soon be connected to Ahmedabad by metro. The trial run for Phase-II of the Ahmedabad metro, linking Narendra Modi Stadium at Motera to GIFT City and Sector-1 of Gandhinagar, is set to begin in April.
This development will benefit over 20,000 employees of the fintech hub who currently rely on state/private buses and private vehicles for commuting.
Mobile passport seva to be introduced
For the first time in Ahmedabad, a Service Excellence Van for roving passport services will be launched. This initiative aims to save time for applicants by eliminating the need to visit the Passport office. The van, particularly beneficial for senior citizens, will be equipped with an experienced passport office employee and TCS staff.
The staff in the van will scan and verify documents, complete processes such as fingerprints and photographs, with final approval by the Passport Office’s Granting Officer.
Reduced travel time from Ahmedabad to Mumbai by an hour
The completion of Western Railways’ Mission Raftaar project is set to reduce travel time between Ahmedabad and Mumbai by at least one hour. The focus is on increasing speeds on critical sections such as Mumbai-Vadodara-Ahmedabad and Mumbai-Surat-Vadodara-Delhi routes.
Once completed, the sectional speed on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route will increase to 160 kmph for passenger trains.
CARE program launched by Corruption Bureau
The State Anti-Corruption Bureau in Ahmedabad has introduced a special program called ‘Caring of Applicant and Responding Effectively’ (CARE). This initiative aims to ensure that individuals filing complaints regarding bribery or corruption cases against government officials do not face threats or harassment.
Under the CARE initiative, Anti-Corruption Bureau officers will regularly connect with complainants, ensuring a smooth and safe complaint resolution process.
