ANKLESHWAR : Two cities on a high

Ankleshwar and Bharuch are situated on opposite banks of river Narmada. Bharuch is the district headquarter, while Ankleshwar which just 10 km away from Bharuch, is the industrial hub. Just like their location these cities are complete opposites. Ankleshwar has become a destination for all types of industries and is considered as one of the largest industrial estate in Asia. Bharuch on the other hand has come up mainly because of its port existing from the British era and is more known for its distinct culture and people. 

History 

According to historical records Bharuch is existing since 2000 years. It lies between Vadodara and Surat and is about an hour's journey from each town. It has a fort on the hilltop, which looks down at the Narmada River meandering below. At the base of the hill is the Jama Masjid. Upstream of Bharuch, is the controversial Sardar Sarovar dam. A port at the mouth of the Narmada River, Bharuch ships cotton, wheat, and timber and manufactures textiles, ink, and glass. Bharuch was an important Buddhist center in the 7th century. Under the Rajput dynasty (750-1300), it was the chief port of Western India.

Bharuch is the city, which is well known, to every student of history, whom is conversant with the early relationships of Islam with India. The Arabs coming for business purposes to India during the rise of Islam landed their ships on the banks of the Narmada at Bharuch from then chain of madrasas begun. This Jamiah Uloomul Quran is one of the beautiful jewel of the chain.

This old town goes back to as far as 17 th century when the English and Dutch were established here. 

Bharuch or Brigukutch is the biggest city on the banks of the Narmada in Gujarat. On the riverbank, outside the city to the east, is the temple of Bhrigu Rishi, from which the city took its name, Bhrigukachba, later shortened to Bharuch. Bhrigu Rishi had established his Ashram at Bharuch. The descendents of Bhrigu Rishi are known as `Bhargavas' Even today, there is sizeable population of Bhargava Brahmins in Bharuch. Bharuch had a place in the history of Solanki-age also. But there are hardly any historical monuments. The bank of the river, the wall of the castle, parts of an old temple and that are all. The reason perhaps lies in repeated aggressions, floods and the geographical status of Bharuch. Bharuch was one of the most busy ports of Gujarat towards the end of the 15 th century.

High quality cotton was one of the major agricultural products in and around Bharuch. Hence, the town became one of the important centers of textile production. The Dutch traders exported Bafta quality of cloth to Europe. The art of silken bed is still alive in this town. The Britishers constructed a railway bridge on the Narmada near Bharuch in 1881. The cost of the bridge went so high due to the depth and the width of the river, that they named it 'Golden Bridge'.

As the trading at the Bharuch port faded away, new industries started coming up. Narmada Oil Field, Ankleshwar Industrial Estate, Narmada Valley Fertilizers Complex and Narmada Scooter Project have illuminated the very face of Bharuch. A little south and east to the cotton growing land around Bharuch, there is the Karjan river and the Karjan Dam. The far-sighted ruler Sayajirao gave it the grandeur and the beauty. He decorated the city with lovely gardens, wider roads, and palaces of high monumental value and impressive sculptures. He also built courts, colleges, museums and what not. With the advent of industrialization, Vadodara has sustained scratches on its beautiful face and peace. The university campus comprises almost all the faculties of education.

Ankleshwar station is between Surat and Baroda in Bharuch district of Gujarat. It is situated on the banks of river Narmada, Gujarat. But unlike Bharuch, this town is known more for its industrial development over the years. 

Lets look into the industrial development of Ankleshwar and its present scenario,
Ankleshwar is the largest chemical industrial estate in the country and even in Asia, with a large number of units operating in small and medium sectors. The imminent pollution problems from the chemicals units needed to handled to sustain the growth of the units. 

A sign at a chemical factory in the west Indian state of Gujarat reads, 'Bhopal gas tragedy was the worst industrial accident caused by man. Inadequate practice of safety was the cause of the accident.' 

Underneath the sign, foul-smelling industrial waste lies in a runoff ditch, clogging drains. Near the plant, piles of solid waste lie scattered about, both inside and outside the plant gates, without any warning markers or means of containment. Nauseating smells waft through the area, some from invisible sources, others from occasional bursts of black or yellow smokestack gases.

Cattle roam in and around the industrial waste, and children from nearby villages, wander through the area. Workers whose whole bodies are dyed blue or green file out of the factories. Hard hats are rarely seen. 

This is Ankleshwar, Asia's largest industrial estate, and one of 190 industrial complexes in Gujarat's 'Golden Corridor'. It is so called because of the money brought by rapid development, is an industrial belt running from Vapi at the southern end of Gujarat to Mahesana, about 270 miles to the North. Most of the companies in the 'Golden Corridor' are Indian, but recently foreign companies such as Shell and General Electric have opened up shop in the region. 

Sprawling estates 

Ankleshwar consists of some 3,000 firms, about half of them includes chemical units, which operate in a 40-square-mile complex. Hazardous substances used in production processes and manufactured at Ankleshwar include pesticides, paints, fertilizers, dyes and pulp and paper. The Ankleshwar Industrial Association estimates that its members generate about 55 to 60 million gallons a day of liquid hazardous waste, and about 50,000 tons of solid hazardous waste annually. In 1988, the state government ordered the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) to develop solid and liquid waste treatment plans for Ankleshwar and progress has been made. 

In addition to the intensive development planned for the Bharuch area, Gujarat is the proposed host for the giant Indian-owned Reliance Refinery slated to be built in Motikhavdi, near
Jamnagar. 

This projected explosive growth in the chemical industry is a continuation of recent trends. 

Under India's economic liberalization program, the next round of investment is expected to come from multinational petrochemical corporations such as Shell, ICI, DuPont, Dow and Hoechst. 

The discovery of oil and gas in Ankleshwar and North Gujarat led to the industrial development of Gujarat in a big way. The Baroda region is the largest beneficiary in the process of this industrialization. Gujarat Refinery went into the first phase of production in 1965. The refinery being a basic industry made vital contributions on several fronts at the regional and national levels 

People and Culture

The 114-year-old Zoroastrian Fire temple in the Gujarat hamlet of Suvali is no longer a haunt of pious Parsis. As dusk falls, gamblers and boozers take over the deserted Ôagyari'. All along the Hajira belt in Gujarat stand palatial bungalows, testimony to a past lifestyle. Now padlocked and deserted, these Parsi buildings have fallen prey to antique dealers. Often the caretakers themselves spirit out furniture, crockery, chandeliers, Italian marble slabs and decorative iron grilles. The Parsi culture, an amalgam of Iranian, Indian, Chinese and European civilizations, is among the oldest cultures prevailing here.

Over centuries, the Parsis have been in the forefront of the freedom struggle, industry, trade, medicine and banking in India.

We have had such Parsi stalwarts as Dadabhai Naoroji, Madam Bhikhaji Cama, the Tatas, the Wadias, the Godrejs, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, eminent jurists Nani Palkhiwala, Fali Nariman and Attorney-General Soli Sorabji. Besides them, the ordinary Parsis have provided a distinct thread in the tapestry of multi-cultural India.

Bharuch is also known for its interesting eating joints. There are Agyaris (fire temple) as old as 1255 AY (After Yasdegird, the last Zoroastrian emperor of Iran). The port town of Bharuch is one of the world's oldest human settlements. This was also the most happening part of Bharuch with an active club life and lots of get together within the communities. At Ankleshwar, there is more of the cosmopolitan crowd from different parts of the country. With the industrial development here there has been an inflation of outsiders in this city. 

IT Business at Ankleshwar and Bharuch

At Ankleshwar, IT business is generated more from the chemical industries situated in that area. All the major pharma and chemical industries are also situated here. From Vapi to Bharuch, its all a chemical zone therefore in both the places business is divided between corporates and SOHOs in a 50:50 ratio. These markets are also competitive as a lot of undercutting of margins takes place among the dealers. But with the recent ABITA (Ankleshwar and Bharuch Information Technology association) formed the dealer market are upbeat about competition changing to co-operation. 

Most of the MNC and Indian vendors are present in these areas. Even here like other smaller cities and as reported earlier by DQ Week there are service and support issues, which the association has planned to take up seriously.

The end-users are all educated enough in these areas but the home segment is bigger in
Bharuch. 

After speaking to a the dealer community they were of the opinion that the market was divided into three segments which are 50 percent to assemblers, 30 percent MNCs and 20 percent to Indian vendors in both these areas.

Some Resellers

AAJ Computer Services

Chirag Upadhyay,Bhavesh Desai

G-52, Ravi Complex

Valia Road Nr. GIDC Bus Stand

Ankleshwar

Aptech Computer Education

Irshad Malik,

F/32-40,First Floor Ravi Complex

Valia Road Nr. GIDC Bus Stand

Ankleshwar

Champaneria Computer Classes

Arun Champaneria

Chauta Bazar

Nr.Markandeshwar Temple

Ankleshwar

Chips N' Chaps

Kalpesh Dalwadi

Panch Batti, F-17-22,First Floor

Narmada Trade Center

Bharuch

Citizen Tele Communication

Dharmendrabhai Joshi

103,Hari Om Complex

Nr. Falshruti Nagar, Station Road

Bharuch

City Computers

Pares Patel

S-7,Ravi Complex

Valia Road Nr. GIDC Bus Stand

Ankleshwar

Compu Vision

Irfan Jethwa

B/42, RaviComplex

Valia Road Nr. GIDC Bus Stand

Ankleshwar

Compunet Infosys

A.M.Sayed/ S.A.Patel

33,Sheth Complex

Mohammedpura

Bharuch

Computech System

Nilesh Y. Shah

14A,Nagarpalinka Shopping Center

Nr. Lion Circel

Ankleshwar

Creative Infotech Solutions (P) Ltd.

Paresh Patel

SF-33,Ravi Kiran Complex

Valia Road Nr. GIDC Bus Stand

Ankleshwar

Excellent Computer Education

Halder Pranob Paritosh

1111/25,Amar Kunj

GIDC,

Ankleshwar

Jetking Infotrain Ltd.

Naeem Surajwala,Rauf Kadiwala

Fourth floor, Narmada Complex

Panch Batti,

Bharuch

Kavita Enterprise

Ashok Vora

G-46, Ravi Complex

Valia Road Nr. GIDC Bus Stand

Ankleshwar

Lakhotia Computer Centre

Mr.V.K.Karia,Irshad Gaud

Opp.B.T. Mill

Panch Batti, Station Road

Bharuch

M/s Sun Shine Computers

Mr.Mayank,Mr. Samir

2,First Floor Shiv Complex

Modi Compound, Panch Batti

Bharuch

Media Info Com

Imran Zamindar, Talkin Zamindar

7,8,9, Jay Commercial Complex

Station Road

Bharuch

Nirali Sales

Manish M.Patel

2, Surya Complex

Nr.Gattu School,New Colony

Ankleshwar

Pisces Computers

Zamir A Shaikh

First Floor,Adarsh Shopping

Nr. Mahila Bank

Ankleshwar

Pramukh Stationeries

Hrishikesh Shukla,

2,Amardeep Complex

Nr. Falshruti Nagar, Station Road

Bharuch

Radha Computers

Jitesh Patel

C/6, Keval shopping Center

N.H.No.8, GIDC

Ankleshwar

Radhe Computers

Mahesh Sabalpura

FF-42,Center Point

New Colony, GIDC

Ankleshwar

Roman Telecom

vinesh C. Modi

6,Dhan Laxmi Chembers

Asian Paints Chowkdi

Ankleshwar

Shiv Shakti Computer

Ritesh P.Patel

First Shrinathaji Complex

Nr. Sardar Park Complex, GIDC

Ankleshwar

Shivam Computers

Jignesh Patel, Parimal Patel

A-6/1,First Floor

Patel Super Market

Bharuch

Shroff I.T.Services (P) Ltd.

Manish Shah

First Floor,Ravi Kiran Complex

Valia Road Nr. GIDC Bus Stand

Ankleshwar

Space Marketing

Ilyas Shaikh, Salim Shaikh

F-154,Ravi Complex

Valia Road Nr. GIDC Bus Stand

Ankleshwar

Sunlan Systems

Suhel Patel, Arif Khanji

B/F-5,Sardar Patel Complex

Nr.Railway Station,GIDC

Ankleshwar

Swastik Computer

Viren Patel

G-60,Ravi Complex

Nr. GIDC Bus Stand

Ankleshwar

Swastik Cyber Café

Sunil Doshi, Kamlesh Shah

F/3,Aradhana Arcade

Nr.Ami Colony, GIDC

Ankleshwar

Vision IT

Shrikant Dave

F/32-40,First Floor Ravi Complex

Valia Road Nr. GIDC Bus Stand

Ankleshwar

Gayatri Hard-Tech

Hardik Mistri

B/26, Jalaram Nagar Society

Bharuchi Naka,Diva Road

Ankleshwar

Maruti Nandan Infotech

Hitesh Vashi

F-31,Uma Complex

Opp BOB, GIDC

Ankleshwar

Syscare Computers

M.A.Tadiralu, D.K.Patel

AF-19, Sardar Park-2

Commercial Plot No. 609

Ankleshwar

Nova Softwares

Hiren Patel

5, Second Floor Mangalya Complex

Zaver Nagar Society

Bharuch

Dtech Computers

B.B.Barot

A/24 Akash Ganga Shopping Center

Nr. ICICI Bank, Panch Batti

Bharuch

Om Electronics & Telecom

Anil Vazirani / Keyur Gandhi

8, Shiv Complex

Modi Compound, Panch Batti

Bharuch

Synergy Systems

Chirag Patel / Umes Chauhan

F-3/1,First Floor Ratan Nagar Complex

Falshruti Nagar

Bharuch

Icon Computers

Rahul Bumia, Mathew D'souza

1/18-19,Narayan Kunj Vihar

Tulsi Dham Market

Bharuch

Computeronics

Imtiyaz L.Tai

A-15 Janta Market - 2

Panch Batti

Bharuch

Insight Technosys

Ketan Desai

C-2, Ratan Nagar Complex

Falshruti Nagar

Bharuch

Jupiter System

Vipul Mehta

301/302, Union Arcade

Zadeshwar Road

Bharuch

Mega Byte Computers

Chirag R. Gandhi

F-161, Prathvi Trade Center

Opp Hotel Crown Palace

Bharuch

Xplora Desigw Skool

Sadiq Patel, Javed Patel

First Floor, Sheth Complex

Mohmmedpura

Bharuch

Sun Microsys

31,Munsi Plaza

Opp.Muslim Society

Bharuch

ACA( American Computer Edu.)

Hemal Vora, Gautam Gandhi

A/4,Second Floor Capital Business Center

Opp.Central Bank, Panch Batti

Bharuch

Genius Infotech

Mohd.Afzal Khan S.Pathan

3rd Floor, Haji Complex

Nr.Millenium Market, 5 Batti

Bharuch

Vision Edutech(P)Ltd.,

Hemanshu J.Jhaveri

First Floor Sardar Municipal Complex

Nr.Shaktinath Circle

Bharuch

Akshar Computech

Kamlesh Patel

G-8/15 Shriniketan Resi Plazza

Jyoti Nagar,Makttampura

Bharuch

Narmada Cyber Zone

Harish Joshi

Third Floor Nandanvan Complex

Bharuch

Digital Computer

Harun Patel

B-4, Bombay Shopping Center

OppShalimar Cinema

Bharuch

C'Dec Computer Education

Nilesh Shah, Nitesh Merai

First Floor Modi Compound

Shiv Complex,Nr.Rilif Cinema

Bharuch

Dr.Web

Jigar Amin,Vasudev Patel

A/B/2 , Sardar Patel Complex

Station Road

Ankleshwar

H.K.Info Services.

Mohammed Saeed A. Shaikh

G/86, National Trade Center

Opp.Tel.Exchange

Bharuch

Informatic Computer Institute

Hiren Jain, Manish Jain

Second Floor Hari Om Complex

Falshruti Nagar

Bharuch

Internet 4U Cyber Café

Mohd.Zuber U.Tailor

Behind Ganesh Farsan

Station Road

Ankleshwar

Balak Computech Consultancy

Girish Patel

F-52, Ravi Complex

Valia Road Nr. GIDC Bus Stand

Ankleshwar

Uma Infotech

Mrs.Nimisha Jayesh Gandhi

G-33,Uma Complex

Nr.S.A.Motors, GIDC

Ankleshwar

Micro Infotech

Mr.J.D.Patel / Mr. Abid Patel

L/8,Narmada Com. Complex

Below Central Bank,5 Batti

Bharuch

Narmada Technosys

Mr. Yogendrasinh Vaghela

B-14, Vrundavan Park, Nr. Jyotinagar

Zdeshwar Road

Bharuch

Narmada Systems

Sandip Bhatt, Deepak Mittal

F-13,V.D.Township

Dahej Bypass Road

Bharuch

Unisoft Systems & Peripherals

Mr. Rajdeep Lalit

Gr-4, Indraprsath Complex,Zadeshwar

Nr. RadhaKrushana Bus Stand

Bharuch