19 Housing Societies Still Submerged In Ahmedabad As AMC Digs 350-Metre Trench To Drain Bopal

After three days of unrelenting torrential rains left large swathes of Ahmedabad submerged, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has launched a massive restoration drive to pump out standing water and prevent disease outbreaks. While floodwaters have been successfully cleared from 133 of the city's 148 major waterlogging hotspots, lingering inundation continues to plague 19 housing societies, prompting round-the-clock pumping operations.

To tackle severe waterlogging in the saucer-shaped terrain of Bopal, civic engineers executed an emergency operation, digging a 350-metre-long trench. Using heavy-duty dewatering pumps connected to a 1200 mm pipeline, authorities redirected stagnant water directly into the Ghuma lake and the Gota-Godhavi canal.

Bopal, Jodhpur And Sarkhej Bear The Brunt Of Monsoon Fury

The three-day storm brought extreme rainfall across the city's western catchments, with the South-West Zone recording 25 inches of rain and the North-West Zone registering 23 inches. Bopal logged nearly 22 inches, while Bakrol, Sarkhej, and Jodhpur received over 16 inches of rainfall.

Despite the intensity of the deluge, civic officials noted that the newly commissioned Western Trunk Line running from Science City to Bodakdev and Aapluj significantly reduced flooding compared to previous monsoon cycles. Standing water in previously inundated complexes like Sentosa Park has been completely cleared.

With weather conditions improving, the Meteorological Department downgraded the city's warning status from a Red Alert to an Orange Alert. At the Vasna Barrage, authorities are maintaining the water level at 123.5 feet to regulate discharge from the Sabarmati River.

War-Footing Restoration Work Across Road Networks

Subterranean passways and major traffic arteries are rapidly returning to normal as pumping teams clear flooded transit routes:

• Underpasses Cleared: Almost all major underpasses across the city have been reopened for public traffic, with only the underpass leading from Ranip to Chandlodiya remaining closed temporarily pending final dewatering.
• Society Dewatering: Out of 126 residential societies reporting severe inundation, floodwaters have been fully drained from 107 complexes, with active pumping underway in the remaining 19.

Mass Health And Sanitation Drive Launched To Curb Disease

Fearing a surge in waterborne diseases, the AMC's Health Department and Solid Waste Management Department have initiated widespread sanitation drives across all urban zones. Health workers have distributed over 2.77 lakh chlorine tablets to households to ensure safe drinking water.

Simultaneously, sanitation crews cleared 664 tonnes of accumulated mud and removed 3,473 metric tonnes of solid waste from public roads and residential areas, working to restore normalcy to the city's infrastructure.