Ahmedabad, September 14 (Daily Kiran) : Ahmedabad is currently grappling with significant rainfall, having recorded over 768.29 millimeters (30.25 inches) as of Monday afternoon. In response, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has activated 24-hour emergency control rooms across all seven municipal zones to handle potential emergencies.
The AMC has established a “Monsoon-2026 Control Room” network to address issues arising from the heavy rains, such as flooding, fallen trees, drainage problems, and fire emergencies. This initiative is being overseen by Ahmedabad’s Mayor, Hitesh Barot, and Municipal Commissioner, Banchanidhi Pani. To assist residents, the AMC has also released contact numbers for phone and WhatsApp communications.
The main control room is located at the Sanskar Center in Paldi, with additional control rooms set up in various city zones to expedite local complaint resolution. Special control rooms from the gardening department are also operational to deal with issues related to trees and gardens during the rains.
Fire brigades, drainage departments, and riverfront management units are linked to the control room network to efficiently manage emergencies. The fire brigade control room operates near Tagore Hall in Paldi, while other technical support centers are available as needed.
The AMC has reported that all seven gates of the Vasna barrage have been opened, with the water level recorded at 127.50 feet. Continuous monitoring of the city’s underpasses is underway. The Makrba underpass was temporarily closed but has since reopened to regular traffic after drainage work.
From the evening of September 13 to the afternoon of September 14, the AMC’s online complaint system received 11 reports of fallen trees, all of which were addressed. Additionally, 25 complaints related to flooding were logged, with two resolved and work ongoing on the remainder.
To combat flooding in low-lying areas, the AMC has deployed 92 pumps throughout the city, including 34 Varun pumps and 58 fighter pumps. The number of pumps in each zone has been determined based on local needs. Furthermore, a dedicated de-silting team of 203 workers, along with 426 laborers, 49 tractors, and other machinery, has been mobilized for drainage and cleanup operations.
A total of 43 stormwater pumping stations, 79 drainage pumping stations, and 90 sumps are actively working to drain rainwater. The AMC reported that most underpasses are open to traffic, equipped with high-capacity pumps. Of the city’s 28 underpasses, only one remained temporarily closed due to flooding, while the others are operational.
The AMC has also stated that 42 storm pumping stations connected to its SCADA system are under constant surveillance. Between September 13 and 14, these stations managed to drain 386.70 million liters of rainwater daily. Additionally, 725.56 million liters of excess rainwater were removed through sewage pumping stations.
The Ahmedabad Municipal Transport Service (AMTS) is currently operating 942 buses, with 306 running on 14 special routes and 16 buses designated for airport services.
In light of the heavy rainfall and monsoon conditions, the health department has launched a special campaign to prevent waterborne and mosquito-borne diseases. On September 12, 1,269 chlorine tests were conducted to check water quality, and 15,166 chlorine tablets were distributed.
Emergency response teams have been activated in every ward of the city. Engineering teams are deployed at sensitive locations to ensure continuous drainage operations using machinery and the drainage system.
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