Planned capital
Gandhinagar was built in the 1960s as Gujarat's capital, laid out in thirty numbered sectors divided by a grid of lettered roads, with wide avenues and a great deal of greenery. The Sachivalaya, the assembly and government offices sit at the centre, surrounded by government quarters. Since then, the city has grown south towards Ahmedabad, with apartment towers in Kudasan, Sargasan, Raysan and Koba, the Infocity IT area and GIFT City.
When you ask for a quote, give the sector, the house or flat number, the society's name and a landmark.
Government housing
Many Gandhinagar families live in state government quarters, allotted by type and seniority. Vacating needs a notice, an inspection and the return of keys, and moving into a new quarter needs the allotment letter. Share the dates with your mover. If an employer is paying, ask what documents they need; every mover we work with provides a GST invoice.
GIFT City and Infocity
GIFT City, the financial and IT district on the Sabarmati, and Infocity bring bankers, technology staff and professionals from across India. Their residential towers have facility offices with strict rules on timings, lifts and entry. Our guide to society NOCs and lift bookings has a checklist.
Students and institutes
IIT Gandhinagar at Palaj, the national forensic and design institutes, universities and many colleges draw students and faculty. A student's room usually goes as a few-items move; check the hostel's dates first.
Weather
Gandhinagar has a very hot summer, from April to June, a monsoon from late June to September and a mild, dry winter. November to February is usually the best time to move.
Navratri and Uttarayan
Navratri fills the city with garba every night for nine nights, and Uttarayan in January brings kite flying from every rooftop. Diwali and the wedding season are busy too. Book early if your date falls near one.
Local moves
Many local moves go between Gandhinagar's sectors, the new areas along the Ahmedabad road, Ahmedabad itself, Kalol, Adalaj or Mansa. Share both exact addresses when you ask for a quote.
Common moves out of Gandhinagar
Common moves from Gandhinagar go south to Vadodara and north-east to Udaipur. Our route guides cover both.
A dry state
Gujarat has prohibition, so bottles of alcohol shouldn't be packed in household goods, even unopened gifts. If you're moving in from another state, check the cartons before the truck leaves.
Sector houses
Many sector homes are independent houses or low blocks with stairs and no lift. Heavy almirahs and beds may need to be dismantled. Tell your mover about the floor and the stairs when you book.
Packing for the heat
In summer, ask for electronics in their own padded cartons, candles, medicines and anything that can melt kept out of the sun, and sofas and mattresses in covers against dust.
First weeks in a Gandhinagar home
Ask how the water supply works, check the power backup, and book internet as soon as you have the address. Our guide to address changes after moving lists the official records to update.
Kalol and Adalaj
Kalol, to the west, is an industrial town with oil fields nearby, and Adalaj, known for its stepwell, has new housing on the edge of Ahmedabad. Moves between them and Gandhinagar are common; give the exact address.
Green roads
Gandhinagar's tree-lined roads are pleasant but can make parking a big truck in front of a house tricky. Ask your mover where the truck will stand, and keep the gate clear on the day.
Pethapur and Randheja
Pethapur, an old town known for its wooden printing blocks, and Randheja, near the Sabarmati, are on the edge of the capital. Moves between them and the sectors are common; give the exact address.
Akshardham's visitors
The Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar draws large crowds every evening and on holidays, especially for its light and water show, and the roads around Sector 20 are busy then.
Mahatma Mandir and the summits
Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar's convention centre, hosts the Vibrant Gujarat summit and other big events, when security closes roads around it and hotels across the city fill up. A move in those weeks should avoid the area.
IIT Gandhinagar at Palaj
IIT Gandhinagar's campus at Palaj, on the Sabarmati, has faculty and student housing, and campus moves need a vacating notice and a gate pass.
The metro to Ahmedabad
The metro line linking Gandhinagar with Ahmedabad has made commuting easier, and some families now live in Gandhinagar's sectors while working in Ahmedabad. Trucks still take the highways, which are busy at office hours.
Indroda's park
Indroda park, on the Sabarmati's bank, has a dinosaur and fossil park and draws families on weekends.
Ch, Gh and the numbered roads
Gandhinagar's main roads are named in a grid: numbered roads one way, and roads named after Gujarati letters, like Ch, Gh and Ja, the other way. Junctions are called by both, such as Gh-4, and giving the driver the circle and the sector number is the surest way to find a house.
Kudasan, Sargasan and Raysan
Between the old sectors and Ahmedabad, areas like Kudasan, Sargasan and Raysan have filled with high-rise societies. Most have lifts and a guard at the gate, and the main road beside them is busy with commuters at peak hours.
The GIDC sectors
Gandhinagar's industrial estate runs through the sectors in the city's south-west, with small factories and electronics units. Workers rent rooms nearby, and lorries use the roads there through the day.
Dehgam and Mansa
Dehgam, to the east, and Mansa, to the north, are taluka towns of Gandhinagar district where staff are posted, and many families move between them and the capital.
Ahmedabad's airport, half an hour away
Gandhinagar has no airport of its own; Ahmedabad's airport is about half an hour south. Families flying out can send their goods by road and take a taxi or the metro to catch the flight.
Leaving a government quarter
Most Gandhinagar quarters are allotted by grade, and when an officer retires or transfers, the quarter is handed back to the estate office after an inspection. Book it early and keep the no-dues slip.
Chandkheda and Motera
Chandkheda and Motera, on Ahmedabad's northern edge, sit just across from Gandhinagar, and many families move between them and the sectors as jobs change.