Making suggestions on upgrading various infrastructure in the city, the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) said land lying unused in old textile mills should be turned to mini industrial estates for small businesses. A team of experts has spoken to city Mayor Bijal Patel during his visit to GCCI. "Of about 76 mills that used to operate in the city, 70 are closed and their land is lying unutilised. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) should revive these spaces into vibrant industrial zones by converting them into mini industrial estates," GCCI president Jaimin Vasa told DNA. Vasa these spaces should have multistorey industrial estates in order to reduce the capital cost of investors so that even small-scale entrepreneurs can afford them, or else the cost of land would exceed other costs, making the project unviable. GCCI also asked the AMC to improve the road, water supply, and sewage infrastructure in industrial estates of Naroda, Vatva, Odhav, Narol, and Kathwada. "In some areas, even the town planning (TP) roads are not developed. We, therefore, suggest that the Municipal Corporation should not approve/permit the maps of the TP schemes if basic infrastructure is not available," read a letter submitted by GCCI to the AMC The apex body for trade and industry also suggested that proper planning is undertaken for parking of vehicles while allowing construction of commercial and residential buildings in the city. The Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry complained that illegal parking fee is being charged increasingly at many places in the city. "Parking impact fees are irrational in some areas and need to be regularised," said GCCI. In a suggestion that could ease commuting of industry workers, the GCCI said that the AMC should increase the frequency of buses where the workers are in significant numbers.

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