Ahmedabad: Development permissions may be withheld for new real estate projects in areas within and around Ahmedabad that lack drainage and stormwater networks.
Shela infra
It took up to five days to drain rainwater from areas such as Bopal, Ghuma, and Shela. All three have patchy stormwater networks.During 36 hours between 8am on July 23 and 2pm on July 24, western parts of the city received 10-18 inches of rain.More than 300 locations were flooded.Bopal, Ghuma, Bakrol, and Shela recorded rainfall of 18-20 inches. More than 100 housing societies across Bopal, Ghuma, Bodakdev, Thaltej, Memnagar, Sarkhej, Juhapura, Maktampura, and Bakrol were flooded.In several Bopal and Ghuma societies, pumping the water out took up to three days. In Bopal village and nearby areas, authorities dug trenches to drain rainwater, as they did at several spots in Shela.Citing Shela as an example, a senior official said, “Though brought under Auda in 2009, Shela lacked a stormwater network for 15 years even as development permissions surged.”In 2024, Auda launched a Rs 135 crore stormwater project and a Rs 240 crore drainage scheme for Ghuma, Shela, Godhavi, Manipur, Sanathal, and Telav.The recent crisis shows that the anti-inundation projects are far from complete.An official from AMC’s engineering department said, “Multiple meetings were held between officials of my department and of estate department on waterlogging in Bopal and Ghuma.”According to the official, “Senior engineers said development permissions for new residential and commercial buildings are granted even in areas lacking drainage or stormwater networks.”The official added, “In many such places, Building Use permissions are issued even before these networks are constructed.”In certain areas without a proper network, the official went on to say, permissions are granted based on septic tanks, leading to flooding.Plans are under way to establish a mechanism for authorities to review whether drainage or stormwater networks exist when approving new construction plans.Ahmedabad issues around 1,500 development permissions annually, from bungalows to high-rises.In areas lacking stormwater or drainage lines, permissions have historically relied on septic tanks. Though this generates crores in annual revenue, networks are not laid as quickly as permissions are issued in TP and non-TP areas alike.That causes severe waterlogging around SP Ring Road.BOX:SHELA’S INFRA DEFICITTIMELINE2009: Shela brought under Auda jurisdiction.2009-2024: Rapid approvals granted for residential and commercial projects, but no stormwater drainage network developed.Over past 3 years: Recurrent waterlogging has exposed the area’s infrastructure deficit2024: Auda launched major stormwater and drainage projects funded through an Asian Development Bank loan===THE CHALLENGEDevelopment has outpaced infrastructure planningThousands of homes and commercial units received permissions despite absence of stormwater and underground drainage networksFor nearly 15 years after coming under Auda, Shela lacked a planned rainwater evacuation system===PROJECTS LAUNCHED IN 2024Project | Cost | Coverage| ProgressStormwater network | Rs 135 crore | Ghuma, Shela, Godhavi, Manipur, Sanathal & Telav | 30%Complete underground drainage network | Rs 240 crore | Shela | 75%===COMPLETION STATUSUnderground drainage project: Expected to be completed by end of this yearStormwater network: Only 30% complete, with uncertainty over completion before 2027 monsoon
