Ahmedabad: With 109 locations across Ahmedabad identified as vulnerable to waterlogging this monsoon, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has approved a Rs 5.7 crore project to develop a scientific flood prediction system that can forecast urban flooding before it occurs.Three people had died of electrocution during last year’s monsoon while walking on waterlogged roads. The civic body has entrusted the development of a ‘Citywide Urban Flood Monitoring and Decision Support Platform’ to IIT Gandhinagar, which will study the city’s drainage network, rainfall patterns and flood-prone locations. The project is expected to be completed within three years.According to AMC officials, the platform will use advanced modelling to predict where waterlogging is likely to occur even before rainfall begins. It will also identify future flood hotspots created by new roads, residential developments and changing land use, enabling authorities to take preventive measures.“Once the platform is fully developed, new waterlogging spots emerging due to development projects can be identified through a dedicated dashboard. The city’s drainage network will be comprehensively studied and existing as well as newly emerging waterlogging points will be mapped,” an AMC official said on condition of anonymity.The system will also assess the impact of rising water levels at the Vasna Barrage and release from the Dharoi Dam. “Even if there is no rainfall in Ahmedabad, advance alerts can be generated about areas likely to witness waterlogging because of upstream water releases,” the official added.Another AMC official said the platform would combine one-dimensional modelling of the stormwater drainage network with two-dimensional modelling of surface runoff to generate a scientific assessment of flood risks. The technology will estimate flood depth, extent, duration and water flow velocity across different parts of the city.Officials said the system would also allow “what if” simulations to evaluate whether proposed drainage improvements or new infrastructure could reduce urban flooding. It will assess compound flooding caused by multiple factors, including rainfall intensity, riverwater levels, dam releases and barrage operations.The platform will also analyse the likely impact of flooding on critical infrastructure such as major roads, underpasses, hospitals, fire stations and pumping stations. Through “Flood Nowcasting”, authorities will receive 1-3 hour forecasts of potential waterlogging, helping them deploy emergency personnel and resources more effectively.The project builds on a proposal approved by the AMC’s water and sewage committee in May 2025 to survey waterlogging locations across the city. IIT Gandhinagar was initially awarded a Rs 12 lakh assignment to conduct the survey and prepare a detailed project report. That survey is currently under way, while the newly approved Rs 5.7 crore project will expand the exercise into a citywide flood monitoring and decision support platform.
