Your life at GANDHINAGAR – Capital City
Gandhinagar, capital city of Gujarat located on the banks of Sabarmati River about 25 kms. away from Ahmedabad. It is the greenest city in the country withm 27 trees per person ratio. The total area of Gandhinagar is around 7 x 7 kms. or 50 square kms. divided into 30+ sectors of appx., one square km. each.
Population of Gandhinagar is below two lakhs and majority residents are government employees. NIFT is located in institutional area, on GH-0 extension road.
NIFT Campus is located in the Institutional zone of the city, with DAIICT, NID, INFOCITY, etc., campus area adjoining. Our existing institute is at the entrance of Gandhinagar near GH-0 circle.
Railway Station: The Train and Air connection is from Ahmedabad only. Gandhinagar Capital Railway Station is situated appx. 6 kms. from the Institute at Sector No. 14, near the Sports Authority of India complex. The train leaves everyday for Indore at 18.20 hours. Trains from Ahmedabad-Haridwar-Ahmedabad via Delhi and from Jaipur-Bandra-Jaipur are also passing through Gandhinagar Capital Railway Station. The computerized railway-booking center is situated at Sector No. 10 in the Old Sachivalaya Complex near Head Post Office. The booking office open at 8.00 a.m. Students may get their train reservations by going early in the morning, when there is no rush.
Roads and important Landmarks: The seven roads running parallel are named numerically as Road Nos. 1 to 7 while diagonal cross roads names as per Gujrati/Hindi alphabet as “K”, “KH”, “GH” road to “J” road etc. Circles and cross roads are known by alpha numeric names like GH-0, GH-6, CH-5 etc. The road no. 5 crossing the “GH” road, junction is known as GH-5, the center point where you have lots of open air stalls for food, snacks, ice cream, hotels and all banks are situated near GH-5.
NIFT campus is 7 kms. from GH-6 junction, from our boys hostel – Sector No. 29. To reach the campus, you will get down at GH-0 circle, entrance of Gandhinagar if you are coming directly from Ahmedabad.
Shopping for Essentials: Main shopping area, vegetable and mutton/fish market are situated in Sector No. 21, about 1 km. from the Hostel – Sector No. 29 and 7 kms. from the Institute on “CH” road. Some banks/ATM’s/Restaurants and theatre are located in this market. It is not C.G. Road of Ahmedabad but you may be able to buy small requirements from this Market. Sector 7 shopping centre is also a good and nearby place from the institute.
You may find decent cinema hall near the Institute, may 3 kms. (City Pulse & Cine Max) and on the Sarkhej-Gandhinagar highway – Adalaj # Road (R-World) may 6 kms. You also find good restaurant near the Institute, namely: Recluse (Shreyashrayam), Organge & Dawat (Infocity) and at the City Pulse multiplex. Dhosa Inn and Aavkar Restaurant near GH-4 circle and Pathikashram are also good restaurants / Dinning Hall. Hotel Cambay, Sector No. 25 and Hotel Haveli, Sec. 11 are hotels of star categories.
Ahmedabad shopping areas are approachable by bus, get down at Income Tax Cirlce or Times of India or Nehru Bridge and take a rickshaw to go CG Road. If you need to buy contemporary and bulk quality then Dhalgarwad or Tin Darwaja is the area you should aim for. Get down at Nehru Bridge or Lal Darwaja by bus and take a rickshaw to take you to Tin Darwaja.
Bus Facility: For identification of the State Transport Buses of Gandhinagar-Ahmedabad is having a RED TOP & White Buses. 80+ pairs of buses ply daily between Gandhinagar-Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar everyday. They commence from Sector No. 28 Bus Stand near our hostel in Sector No. 29. The main bus depot is situated in Sector No. 11 called “Pathikashram” ( 3 KM from the institute) and all buses pass through this depot on their way to Ahmedabad and on the return journey to Gandhinagar. Most buses on which Ahmedabad is marked go to the Bus depot known as Geeta Mandir via Ashram Road/Paldi. The railway station is another 1 km. and students may take a rickshaw to cover the distance. However, if the students wish to travel to Railway Station, they should get into a bus from Gandhinagar to Sarangpur / Kalupur that will take them via India Bridge directly to the Railway Station. Buses start as early as 3 a.m. to take you to the connecting departure of trains and one should refer to the ST Time table for identifying the right bus for traveling to Ahmedabad and back. The bus journey to Ahmedabad takes appx. 50 minutes to one hour. These buses have specific stoppage at Ashram Road and students traveling from Ahmedabad to Gandhinagar should get down at GH-0, Infocity or Sector 29 Bus stop for Sector No. 29 Hostel. The best option is to ask the Bus Conductor, where you wish to go? He will suggest and issue you the journey ticket and guide you to the destination/nearest Stop. Conductors are very helpful and will guide you correctly.
Jeeps are also plying between Gandhinagar (GH Road) to Ashram Road/Lal Darwaja and “GH” road to civil hospital routes via Indira Bridge/Airport towards Ahmedabad. You can travel on Sarkhej Gandhinagar highway (SG highway) by jeep from near Pathikashram bus stand. As far as possible, one should avoid traveling by these jeeps – private vehicles as they are not safe.
Sector 29 Hostel blocks for Boys: Gandhinagar is an evergreen capital village with a pre-dominant population of Government employees. In our Sector 29 Hostel located in the “CH” types flats. You have neighbors as Sr. Government Staff who are by and large conservative in their approach.
Girls Hostel: Shreyashram (Aashka Hospitality P. Ltd.) is situated nearby NIFT Campus, which is about 2 kms. Away from the Campus. Girls Hostel having 43 rooms on twin sharing basis. Institute is providing pick-up and drop facility from the Hostel. In addition, the Hostel Warden and Security Guard services provided round the clock.
For your own safety and protection, we suggest that you should dress and behave conservatively and also do not make too much noise yourself or through your musical instruments or vocal cords that would disturb the neighbors. They are prone to make complaints to the Hostel Warden or even inform the police. The Golden rule to follow is: No late nights and not allowing opposite sex members in hostel rooms and traveling alone at night
Day Scholars : Basically, there are four types of students as per their residential status.
1. Boys staying at Sector – 29 hostel blocks
2. Girls staying at Shreyashrayam hostel
3. Day scholars staying in private – rented accommodation on their own in Gandhinagar
4. Day scholars staying with their parents at Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar.
Day scholars are commuting either on their own or by NIFT bus from Ahmedabad. Day scholars are advised to take care of themselves while commuting to the institute on their own vehicles or private vehicles etc. Those who are having their two wheelers should register their vehicle No., copy of license at the security gate. Wearing of helmet is compulsory for two wheelers.
Medical facility: On the campus, a medical doctor is visiting on every working day during 5.00 – 6.30 p.m. (Monday to Saturday) For medical leave one must obtain an authentic medical leave certificate from our medical officer (even when you have taken medical advice from any other doctor, you must get a medical certificate from our medical officer). Over and above visiting hours on the campus, Doctor will also provide service at his consulting room to students on production/showing his/her identity card. The institute will reimburse on monthly basis @ Rs. 20/- per student per visit for consulting and medicines from his clinic.
Civil hospital is located only 3 KM away from the campus near Pathikashram. Apollo Hospital is about 10 KM away from the Institute towards the Ahmedabad air port. A list of medical doctors with their telephone Nos. is supplied in the orientation kit for reference. In case of emergency hospitalization, the student or his/her room partner must invariably inform the hostel warden or higher authorities of the Institute.
Bus facility: NIFT is providing bus facility to the hostellers staying at Shreyashrayam and Sector 29 hostel blocks. Institute is also providing transportation facility from Ahmedabad. Detailed bus routes and schedules are provided in the orientation kit. Access to bus facility is not allowed to the students who are staying on their own in the city of Gandhinagar.
Autorikshaws : Autorikshaws are easily available outside the institute, at GH-0 circle, at Sector – 29 hostel blocks and at Shreyashrayam hostel. The students can share a rikshaw while coming to and from the institute while bus timings are not available. The students are advised to travel in a group while going for multiplexes, clubs etc. situated outside Gandhinagar city.
Multiplexes, Clubs, shopping malls etc. : Nearest multiplexes are Cine Max (3 km.), City Pulse (3 KM) and R World (6-7 KM). At City Pulse & R-World multiplexes dance lounge/discotheques are available. For shopping at Ahmedabad on SG highway, Satellite, C.G. Road, Navrangpura, Vastrapur many shopping malls and multiplexes, and clubs are situated. For visiting these places government buses are available from Pathikashram depo. Government buses going to Pladi can drop you at Ashram Road, Income Tax, Times of India. Private jeeps are also available but try to utilize bus services as far as possible.
For shopping at Ahmedabad, CG Road, Ashram Road, Navrangpura, Satellite – Vastrapur etc. are prominent places.
Prohibition : Gujarat is the only state in the country having prohibition on consumption of liquor and alcoholic beverages. No student should ever consume or carry alcoholic beverages. It is a criminal offence to consume or even carry alcoholic beverages. Students should also refrain from consuming any tobacco products.
