Ahmedabad: The Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has completed the work of laying a new Western Trunk Main drainage line from Vaishnodevi Circle through Ognaj, Sheelaj, Ambli, Shantipura, and Sanathal up to the Sabarmati River. As per the latest progress report updated as of today, the project has been executed in the western part of Ahmedabad at an estimated cost of ₹326 crore.

The Western Trunk Main project spans a total planned length of 27.719 km, of which 27.304 km has been successfully completed. The work was executed under four major packages, details of which are as follows:

Under Package 1, drainage trunk main work was carried out using the open excavation method from Vaishnodevi Circle to Khyati Circle and from Vakil Bridge to Shantipura Circle along the Sardar Patel Ring Road, at a cost of ₹53.54 crore.

Package 2 involved laying the drainage trunk main line using the micro-tunnelling method from Khyati Circle to Vakil Bridge on Sardar Patel Ring Road, at a cost of ₹75.67 crore.

Under Package 3, drainage trunk line work was completed using the micro-tunnelling method from Shantipura Circle to Sanathal Circle, parallel to the SP Ring Road, at a cost of ₹136.28 crore.

Package 4 covered the laying of the trunk main line from the southern end of Sanathal Circle through the Fatewadi area up to the Sabarmati River. This included open excavation work up to the Fatewadi area for a new drainage trunk main line of 2400 mm diameter, at a cost of ₹39.39 crore.

Additionally, ₹23.13 crore was incurred due to increased costs related to approvals and shifting at railway crossings, GETCO, UGVCL, and irrigation canal crossings. With this, the total project cost stands at ₹326 crore.

AMC, in an official statement, said that work under all four packages has been completed. This includes laying 9,360 metres of 1200 mm diameter pipes, 10,781 metres of 1800 mm diameter pipes, and a combined length of 7,163 metres of 2400/2500 mm diameter pipes. Of the total work, 8,125 metres were completed using the micro-tunnelling technique.

Key technical achievements of the Western Trunk Main project include:

• Completion of Asia’s first micro-tunnelling work using 2400/2500 mm diameter pipes.

• Continuous micro-tunnelling pipe-laying of 2400/2500 mm diameter RCC pipes over a stretch of 700 metres.

• Completion of micro-tunnelling work on Sardar Patel Ring Road without causing any disruption to public traffic.

• Successful laying of RCC pipes weighing approximately 13 tonnes and having a diameter of 2400 mm at a depth of nearly 12 metres below ground level.

Once fully operational, the project is expected to permanently resolve drainage overflow issues in several areas, including Gota Science City, Chandlodia, South Bopal, Bhadaj, Hebatpur, Thaltej, Bopal-Ghuma, Bodakdev, Vejalpur, Sarkhej, Maktampura, Mahmadpura, Fatewadi, Shantipura, Sanathal, and Fatewadi gamtal areas.

The completion of the Western Trunk Main project will provide improved drainage facilities to an estimated population of 18 to 20 lakh residents in western Ahmedabad. DeshGujarat