Ahmedabad: Despite receiving a relatively moderate annual rainfall of 800mm, Ahmedabad frequently faces waterlogging and flash flood-like situations in certain pockets. This stark contrast between precipitation and infrastructure has exposed a significant vulnerability in Ahmedabad’s urban planning . The root of the problem lies in a combination of factors.
Firstly, the city’s stormwater drainage system is inadequate to handle the increasing volume of runoff. In its recent analysis of Ahmedabad’s vulnerability, the ‘Bhuvan’ Isro’s National Flood Vulnerability Assessment System grades Ahmedabad under the ‘moderate to high flood vulnerability zone’. “We found that currently, 55% of the natural drains are passive, primarily due to unplanned road development.
Most of this unplanned road development is in the north-west zone. The South West Zone remains underdeveloped,” said a senior Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) official, citing a recent geo-informatics map prepared in Dec 2023. More alarmingly, he adds, the efficiency of 980km of stormwater drains — which cover 37% of the road network and service 52-55% of the geographical area — is estimated to be just 25% to 50% of peak rainfall capacity, according to the AMC’s 2022 data.
The city receives an average annual rainfall of 800mm. “We have today 121 spots in the city that are prone to severe floods,” said the official. Vasna is identified as the highest flash flood area, with Navrangpura, Paldi, Behrampura, Ranip and Chandlodia also experiencing significant flooding, as per the 2022 data.
While explaining the peculiar topography of the city, the official said, “The city’s slope runs from north to south and west to east on the western side, while the eastern side slopes from east to west. This unique geography, combined with rapid unplanned construction and road permissions, has created a perfect storm for flooding issues in the city.” We also published the following articles recently Banned PoP idols flood city markets, NMC dials police The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) announced a ban on the stocking, sale, and purchase of plaster of paris (PoP) idols on August 13 to curb environmental damage.
Despite the ban, enforcement, particularly the transportation of these idols, remains challenging. Municipal Commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari warned that dealers violating this ban will face severe penalties. Rapid industrial growth, GIFT City power hospitality surge in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar saw significant hospitality developments with Hyatt Hotels Corporation set to manage three new properties near key industrial clusters.
This aligns with the growing influx of professionals and major investments in the region. Other prominent brands like St Regis and JW Marriott are also expected to establish a presence, contributing to the area's luxurious transformation. Akhbarnagar underpass floods despite AMCs 20L fix Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has struggled to address waterlogging at the Akhbarnagar underpass.
Despite spending Rs 20 lakh on a percolating well two years ago, moderate rainfall recently caused closure and traffic disruptions. Annually, Rs 40 to 50 lakh is allocated for water removal at underpasses, but issues persist, particularly at Akhbarnagar, Mithakhali, and Jagatpur..
