Pre-monsoon rain exposes Ahmedabad’s drainage gaps, waterlogging chokes traffic at Narol

Ahmedabad received its pre-monsoon rainfall after weeks of scorching heat, bringing relief from high temperatures but also exposing the city’s recurring monsoon issues. Waterlogging in several parts of the city disrupted Tuesday morning traffic, with Narol witnessing severe congestion as commuters struggled to navigate flooded roads.

A major traffic jam developed in Narol on Tuesday morning after rainwater accumulated on the Narol-Vishala stretch. The situation was worsened by the ongoing construction of the Sarkhej-Narol elevated corridor, which has narrowed road space and reduced traffic capacity.

With vehicles forced to move slowly through waterlogged sections, long queues formed during peak office hours in the morning.

Residents had to wade through stagnant water while commuting, raising questions about the city’s preparedness despite annual monsoon planning exercises. Waterlogging was also reported from areas including Vatva GIDC and Juhapura.

The flooding comes despite repeated claims by the Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) regarding pre-monsoon preparedness. While the civic body has announced plans to stock nearly 42,000 metric tonnes of hot-mix material and has finalised tenders for infrared and jet-patcher road repairs to address potholes during the monsoon, such measures focus largely on road restoration after damage occurs rather than preventing water accumulation in the first place.

As civic authorities conduct pre-monsoon reviews and inspections year after year, several low-lying areas continue to face the issues right at the onset of rains.