Ahmedabad, a smart city in India, faces severe issues during the monsoon season. Heavy rains cause waterlogging and damage roads, which has become a common problem. In the past month and a half, citizens have lodged thousands of complaints about water accumulation and potholes. Despite this, some senior corporators from the ruling party refuse to acknowledge the problem. They jokingly claim that the Congress party is to blame for the poor condition of the roads.
During a municipal corporation meeting, opposition leader Shahejad Khan Pathan raised the issue of waterlogging. He pointed out that the BJP has been in power in Ahmedabad since 2000, yet problems like those in the Madhumalti area remain unresolved after many years. Former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani even visited the site in 2017 and ordered immediate action, but eight years later, nothing has changed.
Residents are making an average of 215 complaints daily regarding waterlogging. Between June 1 and July 19, there were over 31,000 complaints related to drainage issues and road breakdowns. Citizens have filed around 154 complaints daily about stormwater problems. These statistics only reflect online complaints.
Even after spending millions on road construction, the quality remains poor. Officials offered excuses like the mix of asphalt and water leading to road damage. Now, they are constructing white-topped roads, but these too are breaking down. This raises concerns about corruption in the system.
BJP corporator Mahadev Desai claimed that the roads break due to Congress’s ‘evil eye.’ However, his statement was met with ridicule as he had no substantial arguments to support his claim. Opposition corporator Iqbal Sheikh challenged Desai’s assertions and pointed out that, just days ago, Minister Jagdish Bhai Vishwakarma and BJP corporators acknowledged that the waterlogging issue in the Nikol area had not been resolved for over ten years.
The situation in Ahmedabad during the monsoon is alarming. Despite government funding for road construction, residents continue to suffer from poor infrastructure. The need for accountability and effective solutions is urgent. As the rains continue, the citizens of Ahmedabad hope for better management and maintenance of their roads.