Ahmedabad: A day after water was released into Sabarmati River, a sharp spell of rain exposed the vulnerability of Ahmedabad’s western areas, with the high water level at Vasna Barrage being blamed for worsening waterlogging across several neighbourhoods.Water was released into the river on Thursday by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and the state irrigation department, pushing the level at Vasna Barrage to 135 feet by 8am on Friday. When heavy rain lashed the city between 8am and 10am, stormwater drainage in areas adjoining the river was severely affected.Navrangpura, Paldi, Vasna, Vadaj, Dudheshwar, Kalupur, Maktampura and Sarkhej were among the worst affected. More than 200 complaints related to waterlogged roads and residential societies were registered across the city on Friday.As the situation worsened, authorities opened 14 gates of Vasna Barrage to bring down the river level. The process took three to four hours, and by noon the level fell to 126.5 feet.Residents and civic officials pointed to the timing of the gate operations as a key factor behind the waterlogging. Several major roads in western part of the city, including Anandnagar Road, Manekbaug Road, 132-Foot Ring Road and Judges Bungalow Road, were inundated, while water entered several housing societies.The episode closely resembled the situation witnessed on July 23 this year. On that day too, barrage gates were opened in phases as intense rain continued. Three gates were initially opened, with the level reaching 135.7 feet by 11am. Fifteen gates were opened at 12.20pm, bringing the level down to 129.5 feet. By 3pm, it had fallen further to 124.5 feet, following which waterlogging in western areas began to recede.Sources said the experience should have prompted advance planning this time. They pointed out that the riverbed was deepened during the Sabarmati Riverfront project and cleaned annually after 2011. However, no major riverbed deepening has reportedly been undertaken in the past five years.The issue is significant because upstream monsoon releases carry silt, sand and debris into the river, gradually affecting its water-holding capacity. Sources said that once the Vasna Barrage level crosses 128 feet, stormwater from adjoining western areas face difficulty in discharging into the river, causing drainage lines to back up.The city’s major stormwater and drainage networks run parallel to Ashram Road, 132-foot Ring Road and SG Highway. Sources said that when the barrage level rises above 134 feet, these lines struggle to empty into the river, contributing to waterlogging in surrounding areas. Maintaining the level around 127 feet, they said, allows rainwater to drain more efficiently.This is not the first warning. Similar waterlogging was reported during July 2023 monsoon, prompting Ellisbridge MLA to write to the municipal commissioner. The letter had highlighted that keeping Vasna Barrage level at around 128 feet could prevent waterlogging in areas such as Ellisbridge and Paldi.
