Ahmedabad flooding
AMC’s Flood Management Efforts Fall Short Despite Significant Investment
Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has invested over Rs 2,000 crore in the last five years to improve the city’s stormwater and drainage systems. This includes the installation of new drainage lines and the desilting of existing ones. Despite these efforts, the number of areas vulnerable to flooding in Ahmedabad continues to increase, highlighting ongoing challenges in effective flood management.
During the 2025 monsoon, AMC identified 147 flood-prone spots across Ahmedabad. Before this year’s monsoon, AMC claimed to have eliminated 39 waterlogging spots —including 34 in the western part of the city — cutting the total spots to 108. Yet, during Friday morning downpours, 235 waterlogging complaints were registered. Flood-prone spots this year are veering towards 200. Sources indicate that before the 2024 monsoon, AMC had identified 125 flood-prone spots, which rose to 147 in 2025. That year, floodwaters took more than five hours to recede at over 10 locations. Inadequate stormwater network Between 2014 and 2024, AMC did not implement major stormwater network projects; work has been under way between 2024 and 2026. The city’s total road network is 2,732km but the stormwater network covers just 1,010km. So, the city relies heavily on the 3,570-km-long drainage network to carry rainwater Development permissions fast, planning slow AMC is only now considering withholding development permissions for new buildings in areas lacking stormwater and drainage networks.
They are transferred before they understand drainage networks You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Ahmedabad | Silver Rate in Ahmedabad | Bank Holidays in Ahmedabad | Public Holidays in Ahmedabad | Ahmedabad AQI | Weather in Ahmedabad | Petrol Price in Ahmedabad | Diesel Price in Ahmedabad | CNG Price in Ahmedabad | LPG Price in Ahmedabad Stay updated with the latest Ahmedabad news. In the western part of the city, water did not recede for over five hours at two spots in Bopal and Ghuma; two spots in Gota; and one spot in Bodakdev. In the east, prolonged waterlogging of over five hours was recorded at one spot in Naroda, three in Saraspur-Rakhial, and one in Bapunagar. Box Item Why does the city sink? Over the past decade, development permissions were routinely granted to new constructions in non-TP (Town Planning) and TP areas even where underground networks did not exist No impact studies of new development projects: Drainage and stormwater department of AMC suffers from a shortage of experienced technical officers. Currently, state govt-deputed administrative officers are put in charge. Download the TOI App.
Previously, senior officials from AMC’s own engineering cadre were appointed as deputy municipal commissioners.
Concerns Over Road Expansion and Stormwater Management
The ongoing project to expand SG Highway to six lanes, with an investment of Rs 1,000 crore, is underway alongside Auda’s six-laning of SP Ring Road for Rs 2,200 crore. However, these developments have raised concerns, as no impact assessments have been conducted to determine their effects on existing stormwater drainage systems.
In a related issue, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has filled the natural Chandrabhaga drain as part of the Gandhi Ashram redevelopment. A new stormwater duct was constructed to replace the drain, but again, no studies have evaluated the implications for rainwater discharge. This lack of assessment extends to the Kharicut Canal and Gota-Godhavi Canal redevelopment projects as well.
Additionally, the projects are hindered by a shortage of experienced officers, which could further complicate effective stormwater management in the area.