BharatKool Festival set to begin at Gujarat University, featuring renowned Gujarati artists; Ahmedabad Metro route likely to connect Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport; Coldplay’s concert announcement spurs city hotel rate hike; and more. Catch up with the latest city updates in this Ahmedabad News Roundup.

The ‘BharatKool’ festival is set to be inaugurated today by the Gujarat Chief Minister at Gujarat University’s Senate Hall. The festival is a celebration of Indian art, music, and dance.

Scheduled to run from the 14th to the 17th of November, this open-for-all festival is organized by Gujarat Tourism, Gujarat Media Club, and Gujarat University, and is sponsored by major local brands. It will feature artists such as Osman Mir, Arvind Vegda, Parth Oza, poet Tushar Shukla, and folk artist Yogesh Gadhvi, showcasing the vibrancy of Indian cultural expressions.

With the announcement of British band Coldplay’s concert at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium in January, hotel prices in the city have skyrocketed, some surpassing Rs 50,000 per night. Social media buzz has highlighted the surge, as fans prepare to flock to Ahmedabad following the band’s Mumbai shows.

Plans are underway to link Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport with the city’s metro network via a six-kilometer route.

This new connection, costing approximately ₹1,800 crore, will feature four stations: three elevated and one underground at the airport itself. Originating at Motera, near Narendra Modi Stadium, this new line will offer stops at Koteshwar and Koba before reaching the airport, pending approval from the central government.

Prime Minister virtually inaugurated the ‘Pradhan Mantri Bharatiya Jan Aushadhi Kendra’ at Chandlodia-B Railway Station in Ahmedabad. This initiative provides quality medicines at affordable prices, supporting citizens' health and well-being. Currently, 13,822 such centers operate across India, with plans for further expansion underway.

Recent data from the Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Central Pollution Control Board, and Amdavad Municipal Corporation reveal worrying AQI levels in Ahmedabad. The SG Highway stretch shows "very poor" air quality, while areas like Naroda and Odhav average an AQI of 100, exceeding the national average of 40.

Many other areas, including Maninagar and Prahladnagar, range from "moderate" to "poor," with some surpassing the 200 AQI mark. The Vatva area shows elevated levels of nitrogen oxide, VOCs, and sulfur oxide, while Khadia and Dariyapur in the old city area report AQI levels now categorized as “very poor.”