₹3 cr sanctioned for stormwater lines in east Ahmedabad, but AMC delays work until after monsoon

With the monsoon almost upon the city, the Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has finally sanctioned over ₹3 crore for stormwater and drainage lines in East Ahmedabad. However, in a move that has raised eyebrows, the civic body has deferred the start of this crucial work until after the rains – effectively admitting that flooding is all but inevitable in the coming weeks.

The AMC’s Water Committee has approved tenders for eight wards in the East Zone, assigning contracts to Dhruvi Buildcon, Bhagirath Corporation, and Jayram Corporation. This includes ₹2.58 crore for laying new drainage and stormwater lines on recently developed roads, and ₹79.13 lakh for maintenance and installation in other areas.

This flurry of approvals comes after years of underinvestment in the city’s drainage systems, and appears to be a last-minute attempt to address long-standing issues. Yet the timing — with implementation pushed to the post-monsoon period — suggests the civic body has been caught unprepared once again.

Revealing a startling gap in basic data, Water Committee Chairman Dilip Bagriya responded to a question about the total length of stormwater lines in Ahmedabad with: “We will have to ask.” The lack of such fundamental information at the leadership level underscores the absence of planning that residents in low-lying areas have long suspected.

The signs of trouble are already evident. On Thursday morning, after a short spell of rain, 106 locations across the city reported waterlogging. Rather than an isolated event, this is a clear warning of what lies ahead. In response, AMC has approved a ₹12 lakh survey by IIT-Gandhinagar to identify waterlogging hotspots — a reactive measure that many believe should have been undertaken long ago.

In parallel, the AMC sanctioned ₹50.88 lakh to Mahi Corporation for emergency repairs along the KhariCut Canal, part of the Phase-I redevelopment. Another ₹3.56 crore has been approved to interlink 39 lakes in East Ahmedabad through a new stormwater pipeline system, to be implemented by Darshil Builders.

To handle flooding in the interim, AMC’s Sewage Treatment Project department has cleared a proposal to purchase water pumps worth ₹2.58 crore from Neema Enterprise. These will be deployed across 95 sump stations near the KhariCut Canal — another sign that the corporation is bracing for flooding rather than preventing it. 

Despite years of warnings and repeated monsoon flooding, the AMC’s last-minute spending and delayed execution suggest a pattern of neglect followed by hurried crisis management. For many residents, it feels as though the corporation is waking up only as the skies darken.