Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel visited various affected locations on July 24 to evaluate the consequences resulting from significant rainfall in Ahmedabad over the previous two days. His tour included Sentosa Park Society in Ambli and Hari Om Villa, along with Iskcon Green Society in Ghuma. The Chief Minister engaged directly with residents in waterlogged areas to grasp their challenges first-hand and expressed his willingness to listen to their concerns.

Accompanying the Chief Minister was Rushikesh Patel, the In-Charge Minister for Ahmedabad District. Together, they inspected the severity of the waterlogging and its impact on daily life. The focus of the visit was to acknowledge and address the hardships faced by the community amid the monsoon conditions.

Municipal Response and Rainfall Statistics

Following his field visit, Bhupendra Patel convened a meeting with senior officials from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC), local Police, and other related departments. The AMC officials briefed the Chief Minister regarding ongoing complaints related to waterlogging, subsidence, fallen trees, and road settlement caused by the rainfall. It was reported that the city received a cumulative seasonal rainfall of 18.42 inches (457.31 mm) during this period.

Affected areas included Bakrol, Bopal, Sarkhej Urban, and Jodhpur, where rain levels have been noticeably high. In response to the persistent downpour, all 22 gates of the Vasna Barrage have been opened to facilitate drainage. The AMC mobilised significant resources to manage the situation, activating 245 pumps at 42 stormwater pumping stations and 305 pumps at 83 drainage pumping stations. The extensive deployment of 40 vehicle-mounted heavy dewatering pumps was focused on low-lying areas.

AMC Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani reported that there are currently 129 desilting teams in action, supported by around 400 workers, along with 72 tractors and mini utility vehicles, eight JCB machines, and 40 fighter pumps on standby. Additional efforts include the trimming of approximately 3,958 trees to prevent hazards. The Paldi Monsoon Control Room is continually monitoring the situation via the SCADA system, Real-Time Monitoring Dashboard, and 1,139 CCTV cameras.

Safety Measures and Ongoing Operations

In light of the adverse weather, certain underpasses—including Dakshini, Chandlodia, and Chandkheda—have been temporarily closed to ensure commuter safety. These will be reopened when conditions stabilise. To mitigate the effects on power supply and traffic, personnel from Torrent Power and the Traffic Police are stationed at the Control Room to address arising issues promptly.

As of the latest updates, 169 out of 276 waterlogging complaints have been resolved, with ongoing work on the remaining cases. Among the 67 reported incidents involving fallen trees, 43 have been successfully addressed. Chief Minister Patel urged officials to expedite relief efforts to ensure that no residential society remains inundated and mandated proactive measures to avert similar future incidents.

In addition, he stressed the importance of undertaking sanitation and public health measures in the affected areas post-rainfall. This review meeting was attended by notable officials, including AMC Mayor Hitesh Barot and City Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gehlot, further emphasising the collaborative approach to addressing the crisis effectively.

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