Setback to Ahmedabad's urban model? City malls witness 48% decline in footfalls

By Jag Jivan

Are Ahmedabad’s malls, tom-tommed as an “example” of the city’s urban model, set to further lose their charm? It would seem so, if one goes by top industries body Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) report, which says that Ahmedabad’s malls has seen one of the highest declines in “footfalls” in India, next only to Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR). As per an ASSOCHAM survey, Delhi-NCR recorded the highest decline in footfalls at city malls (49.5%) , followed very closely by Ahmedabad (48.2%).

Other cities that have seen a high fall in “footfall” are Chennai (46%), Mumbai (42%) and Hyderabad (39%), the survey results, released by ASSOCHAM, said. While roughly 250-300 malls came up in the country in the last two years, 80-85% of the spaces in these malls still lie vacant. In Ahmedabad, the situation has particularly taken from bad to worse, as few of the top malls recently closed their shops or reduced their capacity drastically. Several of them were built by offering them huge concessions, and without even necessary environmental clearances.

ASSOCHAM does not think that this is due to recession having overtaken the cities, but because “online shopping has proved especially harsh for shopping malls.” The survey was conducted in 10 cities-Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Chandigarh and Dehradun. ASSOCHAM thinks, “Online shopping industry in India is fast catching on, not just in the larger metros but also in the smaller cities.”
The industry body estimates, things will only worsen for the malls this Diwali, when online shopping may increase by 350% as against the jump of 200% in August-September. The result is that, it says, “shopping malls have started feeling jittery as the footfalls in malls are likely to go down by 50-55%”. ASSOCHAM, however, does not provide inter-city comparison of how much has online actually caught up.
“During Diwali, Online shopping estimated to cross Rs 10,000 crore”, says ASSOCHAM, adding, “The online retailing to see the biggest flip ever in the history, going forward this trend will not only continue but it will grow by leaps and bounds. “At present the market is estimated at Rs. 12,000 crore and could cross Rs. 1,00,000 crore a year in India over the next three to four years”.
The survey, titled “Indian Online Retail Sales Surge in Festive Season”, reveals that there is more than a fivefold increase in revenue generated through e-commerce as compared to last year with all branded apparel, accessories, jewellery, gifts, footwear are available at a cheaper rates and delivered at the doorstep within two to three days. According to ASSOCHAM secretary-general DS Rawat, “Whole new audience is connected 24x7 through their smart phones, tablets and other mobile devices which are leading to a gradual evolution of e-commerce”.
ASSOCHAM said, e-commerce sales in August and September grew by 200% from the same months in 2013 (120%), with mobile sales booming 100%. “Consumers are turning to the internet savvy because of the fast and simple payment and delivery service. Online shopping is estimated to be up by 350% during the festive season than visiting bricks and mortar stores, adds its report”, it insisted, adding, “This festive season, shopping on ground has taken a back seat. Apart from convenience, rising fuel price, security reasons, online discounts and availability with abundance of choices are keeping consumers indoors”.

Comments

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.

Civil society flags widespread violations of land acquisition Act before Parliamentary panel

By Jag Jivan Civil society organisations and stakeholders from across India have presented stark evidence before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj , alleging systemic violations of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013 , particularly in Scheduled Areas and tribal regions.

Why Indo-Pak relations have been on 'knife’s edge' , hostilities may remain for long

By Utkarsh Bajpai* The past few decades have seen strides being made in all aspects of life – from sticks and stones to weaponry. The extreme case of this phenomenon has been nuclear weapons. The menace caused by nuclear weapons in the past is unforgettable. Images of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from 1945 come to mind, after the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the cities.

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.

Incarceration of Prof Saibaba 'revives' the question: What is crime, who is criminal?

By Kunal Pant* In 2016, a Supreme Court Judge asked the state of Maharashtra, “Do you want to extract a pound of flesh?” The statement was directed against the state for contesting the bail plea of Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba. Saibaba was arrested in 2014, a justification for which was to prevent him from committing what the police called “anti-national activities.”

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Beyond the island: Top mythologist reorients the geography of the Ramayana

By Jag Jivan In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.

Concentration of wealth in India at levels 'comparable to colonial times', says new report

By Jag Jivan A new report published in March 2026 by the Centre for Financial Accountability and the Tax The Top campaign paints a stark picture of deepening economic disparity in India, documenting a concentration of wealth that it argues is “comparable to colonial times.” Titled Wealth Tracker India | Tax the Top. Close the Gap , the compilation presents data from the World Inequality Database and the Hurun Rich List to illustrate the meteoric rise of the ultra-wealthy alongside the stagnation and debt burdens of the majority.

Search This Blog