1 month ago
22‑inch Rain Floods Ahmedabad’s Bopal‑Ghuma Area
A huge rainstorm in July dumped 22 inches of water on a part of Ahmedabad called Bopal‑Ghuma.
The rain made the streets and houses flood for about three days.
A big residential area called Iscon Greens was under almost three feet of water, but the houses stayed dry.
The city tried to drain the water into lakes and used special pipes, but the system was too small for the amount of rain.
The mayor and other leaders visited the flooded area, but some residents said a new road blocked their entrance and they want a permanent fix.
Experts say the city grew too fast without enough drainage, so the floods happen again.
22 inches of rain in 24 hours flooded Bopal‑Ghuma, leaving residents waterlogged for nearly three days.
Iscon Greens society, home to retired ISRO and police officials, was submerged under almost three feet of water with its entry gate still flooded.
Municipal authorities drained water into three lakes and used temporary pipelines, but the drainage system was overwhelmed, exposing gaps in infrastructure and unplanned development.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and other ministers visited the area, but residents complained that a new road blocked their society’s entry and exit.
Urban planning experts blame rapid, unregulated development and inadequate stormwater infrastructure for the repeated flooding.
- Who
- Residents of Bopal‑Ghuma, including Iscon Greens society, and Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation officials
- What
- Severe flooding caused by 22‑inch rainfall, waterlogging, and drainage efforts
- Where
- Bopal‑Ghuma area, southwest Ahmedabad, India
- When
- July 23‑24, 2024 (rain) and the following days
- Why
- Intense rainfall exceeded drainage capacity, unplanned development, and inadequate stormwater infrastructure
Key facts
- Rainfall
- 22 inches (56 cm) over 24 hours
- Waterlogging duration
- Approximately 3 days
- Affected population
- Around 30,000 people
- Drainage lakes
- Three lakes with >200 million litres capacity
- Municipal response
- Temporary pipelines and dewatering pumps from Rajkot
Quotes
Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani
Commissioner of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation
“Why do new neighbourhoods get flooded so easily? It is not just because rainfall has become more intense, but also because Ahmedabad has allowed urban density to grow much faster than the infrastructure needed to support it.”
indianexpress.com
“The city’s rainfall holding capacity is one inch per hour. One can then imagine the impact 22-inch rainfall in Bopal-Ghuma would have.”
indianexpress.com
Virender Kumar
Chairperson of Iscon Greens Resident Welfare Association, former ISRO director
“The area around the entry gate now has a depression that is a result of the incessant rain. Due to the extreme rainfall, the entry and exit of the society were blocked. Although water did not enter houses, it had reached their entrance.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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