Ahmedabad: Several areas in Ahmedabad city were lashed by a heavy downpour this evening, leading to widespread waterlogging and severe traffic jams. Within just three hours after 7 pm, the city recorded an average rainfall of over 2.0 inches. Although the weather had been cloudy earlier, the sudden and intense showers—accompanied by thunder and lightning—hit the city in the evening, particularly impacting the eastern parts.

Maninagar recorded the highest rainfall at 5.7 inches within three hours, followed by Odhav and Chakudiya, which each received around 4 inches. Other areas such as Viratnagar, Ramol, Nikol, Kathwada, Naroda, Memco, Koratpur, and Vatva saw more than 2 inches of rain. In the western parts of the city, localities including Prahladnagar, Ramdevnagar, Vastrapur, Gujarat University, Income Tax, and Wadaj also experienced heavy rain followed by waterlogging.

Due to rainwater accumulation near Krishnanagar crossroads in the Maninagar area, AMTS bus services came to a halt. With three to four buses stalled, commuters faced significant inconvenience and were forced to walk through knee-deep water.

Water accumulation on roads caused major inconvenience to commuters, with vehicles stranded for hours. Heavy traffic snarls were reported on the Ambedkar overbridge and other bridges connecting East and West Ahmedabad.

Due to this, the Daxini, Mithikhali, and Kubernagar underpasses have been closed to traffic, and one gate of the Vasna Barrage on the Sabarmati River has been opened by 0.25 feet.

At Hatkeshwar Circle, heavy rains turned the area into a virtual lake within two hours. Rainwater entered homes in several societies and chawls in Khokhra and nearby areas. The road between Khokhra and CTM was submerged, causing long queues of vehicles. Puneetnagar Crossing and the Kubernagar underpass were also flooded, leading to the closure of the underpass and worsening the traffic situation.

Following the heavy rainfall, Standing Committee Chairman Devang Dani, Deputy Municipal Commissioner Meeraant, and other officials visited the AMC Command and Control Room in Paldi to monitor the situation. Instructions were issued to various zones for necessary rainwater drainage measures.

In a concerning development, a youth reportedly fell into a pit near the Mogal Mata temple in Ambikanagar, Odhav. Fire brigade teams rushed to the scene and launched a rescue operation. However, the youth has remained missing for over an hour, and locals suspect he may have fallen into a nearby drainage canal. The fire department’s search efforts are ongoing.

Authorities have urged citizens to avoid low-lying areas and exercise caution while commuting, as rainfall is expected to continue. DeshGujarat