Gujarat: Ahmedabad gears up for major water and drainage overhaul

Ahmedabad, Oct 22 (IANS) Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA) has set the wheels in motion for a massive infrastructure upgrade to tackle long-pending issues of drinking water, drainage, and waterlogging.

Spanning 4,000 hectares and expected to benefit nearly 10 lakh people, the ambitious project envisions a modern, integrated drainage and stormwater line network that will cover over 24 Town Planning (T.P.) schemes.

Work will include the installation of new drainage pipelines, stormwater systems, treatment plants, and pumping stations. AUDA officials expect the entire project to be completed within three years.

At present, many localities lack proper stormwater lines, leading to frequent waterlogging during monsoons. The new system will connect existing irregular lines to a unified drainage network, significantly improving rainwater flow and flood management.

The plan covers both western and eastern zones under AUDA’s jurisdiction. In the western Lilapur-Ognaj belt, a drainage network will be laid across 786 hectares, designed to handle 27 MLD of sewage by 2041 and 49 MLD by 2056.

A detailed project report (DPR) is already in the works, with the scheme expected to directly benefit around 3.87 lakh residents of Lilapur, Jaspur, and Khodiyar.

On the eastern side, the new network will bring relief to over 6.5 lakh people. It will cover 603 hectares in Ranasan, Enasan, Muthia, Bilasiya, and Hanspura (benefiting 58,000 residents); 907 hectares in Santej, Lapkaman, and Rakanpur (benefiting 2.8 lakh residents); and 1,474 hectares in Jetalpur, Aslali, Gamdi, Nandej, and Gertpur (benefiting 3.35 lakh residents).

Ahmedabad has been steadily positioning itself as a contender on the global sporting map, with preparations underway to meet international infrastructure standards ahead of the Commonwealth Games 2030 and the Summer Olympics 2036, for which India is eyeing a bid.

The city’s rapid urban expansion, coupled with major civic upgrades in transport, drainage, housing, and public amenities, is part of a larger vision to transform Ahmedabad into a “future-ready” metropolis capable of hosting large-scale global events.

--IANS

janvi/dan