Govt of India, ADB sign $181 million loan to improve urban livability

The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a $181 million loan to build quality infrastructure and services toward improving urban livability and mobility in the peri-urban areas of Ahmedabad city in Gujarat.

The loan agreement for the Ahmedabad Peri-urban Livability Improvement Project was signed by Juhi Mukherjee, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance for the Government of India, and Rajesh Vasudevan, Officer-in-Charge of ADB’s India Resident Mission, for ADB.

The project aims to make peri-urban areas of Ahmedabad livable, environmentally sustainable, and efficient with robust physical andsocial infrastructure, a vibrant economy, and a distinct identity as a preferred investment destination.

The project will benefit urban poor, women, and migrant workers through improved urban services and urban governance. It will construct 166 km of water distribution network, 126 km of climateresilient stormwater drainage, 300 km of sewerage systems, and four sewage treatment plants. The project is also supporting 10 junction improvements along the existing Sardar Patel Ring Road to improve connectivity of peri-urban areas to Ahmedabad city.

ADB will help strengthen the capacity of the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority and urban local bodies in technologybased urban planning, including climate change and disasterresilient infrastructure that promote environmental and social safeguards, gender equality and social inclusion. The project will support land development plans and town planning schemes integrating these elements that can be replicated by other states to enhance more planned urban development and densification through agglomeration.