SARASPUR : A tale of Urban metamorphosis

Saraspur is an old densely populated neighborhood in the eastern part of Ahmedabad just outside the walled city. The area studied extends from Shardaben General hospital in the east to Kalupur Railways in the west. Inspired by pop culture, in the 1940s, Ahmedabad was famously known as the “Manchester of India” because of its similarity with Great Britain, in presence of textile mills. Saraspur contributed substantially to the “Manchesterization of Ahmedabad” back in the late 1870s to 1990s. During the 1940s the textile mills saw a boom in production and hence expanded. This attracted a large number of migrant workers to shift to Saraspur and settle there. The portfolio reflects upon the spatial and morphological transformation of the precinct in Saraspur, over the years. Subsequently, it takes us through a detailed analysis of the tangible aspects of the precinct like streets, built forms, public service delivery systems, as well as the intangible aspects like land development of Saraspur and its implication, public realm characteristics. This portfolio scouts an approach to summarize, categorize and present the analysis and findings with the help of GIS (Geographical Information Survey), satellite imagery, and on-site surveys. The portfolio intends to familiarize Saraspur with the readers through the lens of the curator.