No Relief for Bopal-Ghuma Residents as AMC Plans ₹5.38 Cr Drainage Desilting After Monsoon

Bopal-Ghuma residents are unlikely to get relief from waterlogging this monsoon, as the Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has proposed undertaking ₹5.38 crore worth of drainage and stormwater line desilting only after the rainy season is underway.

The proposal will be placed before the Water Supply and Sewerage Committee on Wednesday for approval. If cleared, it will still require approval from the Standing Committee before work can begin, making it unlikely that the project will benefit residents during the current monsoon.

The project involves cleaning drainage and stormwater lines along TP roads in the Bopal-Ghuma area of the South West Zone using CCTV-based desilting technology. The AMC's Engineering Department has recommended awarding the contract to Sai Tubewell, the lone bidder, at 7.79% above the estimated cost.

With the administrative process expected to take time, the desilting work is likely to start only after a significant part of the monsoon has passed and could be completed after the rainy season ends.

The timing has raised questions as drainage and stormwater desilting is generally carried out as part of AMC's pre-monsoon preparedness to minimise flooding and waterlogging. Residents of Bopal-Ghuma, who have frequently faced inundated roads during heavy rainfall, are therefore unlikely to see any immediate relief this monsoon despite the proposed expenditure.