Up to 5.63 inches of rain in Ahmedabad city in 12 hours; area-wise details here

Ahmedabad: Heavy rain lashed Ahmedabad on Monday, leaving several parts of the city waterlogged and disrupting traffic and daily life. The city recorded an average of 3.38 inches of rainfall between 6 am and 6 pm, according to Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) data.

Vatva recorded the highest rainfall at 5.63 inches, followed by Sarkhej Urban Health Centre at 5.61 inches, Bopal at 5.33 inches and Bakrol at 5.16 inches.

Other areas that received significant rainfall included Maktampura (4.98 inches), Jodhpur Zonal Office (4.84 inches), Bodakdev (4.70 inches), Jodhpur (4.53 inches), Sarkhej (4.41 inches), Indrapuri (4.39 inches), Ramol (4.25 inches), Vasna (4.04 inches) and Maninagar (3.99 inches).

The South-West zone recorded the highest average rainfall at 4.98 inches, followed by the South zone at 4.90 inches. The North-West zone received 3.28 inches, West 3.07 inches, Central 3.03 inches, East 2.80 inches and North 1.60 inches.

Top areas in Ahmedabad by rainfall — 6 am to 6 pm

The downpour resulted in waterlogging across several areas, including Bopal, Shela, Ambli, Sindhu Bhavan Road, Vastrapur, Prahladnagar, Jodhpur, Maninagar, Hatkeshwar, Khokhra and Nikol. Several roads were inundated, with water entering residential societies and commercial establishments in some areas.

The situation was particularly severe in Sindhu Bhavan Road, Bopal and Ambli, where water accumulated on major roads and in residential areas. In some locations, vehicles were forced to pass through deep water, while several motorists reported vehicles breaking down.

Traffic was severely affected at Hatkeshwar Circle, where vehicles were surrounded by water. Waterlogging was also reported in Khokhra, Manekbagh, Vastrapur and other parts of the city. In several places, pedestrians had to wade through water, while potholes and uneven road surfaces became difficult to identify.

In Shela, a school bus carrying primary school students reportedly became stuck in water. The children were safely rescued and arrangements were made to take them home in another bus.

An ambulance also reportedly became stuck at the Manipur underpass near Ghuma after water accumulated there. A video circulating on social media showed a patient being carried on someone’s shoulder after the ambulance was unable to cross the flooded underpass.

The rain also led to incidents of fallen trees in Ambawadi and Navrangpura, while reports of a fire in electrical distribution equipment emerged from Jamalpur and Isanpur.

The widespread waterlogging has once again raised questions over the AMC’s pre-monsoon preparations. The civic body carries out cleaning of stormwater lines, drainage systems and catch pits ahead of the monsoon, but several areas were inundated soon after Monday’s heavy rain.

The situation also revived concerns in areas such as Sindhu Bhavan Road and Bopal, which had reported waterlogging during an earlier spell of rain this season despite the civic body’s claims of completing pre-monsoon preparations.

Meanwhile, the three gates of Vasna Barrage were opened by one foot to help regulate the water level in the Sabarmati River. The river level was being maintained at around 129 feet.

Amid the situation, Ahmedabad Mayor Hitesh Barot, the ruling party leader and the deputy leader visited the Paldi command and control room to review the situation. The mayor directed corporators and BJP office-bearers to visit affected areas, while AMC teams were deployed to clear catch pits and facilitate the faster discharge of accumulated rainwater.

The District Education Officer also advised schools to take a decision on declaring a holiday based on the local situation. DeshGujarat