The Ahmedabad Municipal Committee (AMC) is set to replenish the Sabarmati River starting June 22 in preparation for the traditional Jal Yatra scheduled for June 29. Standing Committee Chairman Kamlesh Patel stated that this measure ensures sufficient water levels for the religious and cultural events leading up to the Rath Yatra.
Tree Plantation Drive and EV Buses
The AMC has planned a massive tree plantation drive targeting 1.5 crore trees, with an ambitious goal of planting 30 lakh trees in a single day. However, internal discussions revealed significant challenges, including a shortage of saplings in nurseries and concerns about long-term maintenance and sustainability. Additionally, the committee approved the induction of 300 new electric AC regular buses, negotiated at a rate of Rs 91.08 per kilometer through a consortium.
New Policy for White-Topped Roads
A major policy shift was announced regarding white-topped (RCC) roads. Following incidents where newly laid roads in the East Zone were dug up within three months for utility repairs, the standing committee mandated that such roads will only be constructed if utilities are located on the side or relocated there first. For student safety, a new foot-over bridge (FOB) was approved in the Kubernagar ITI area. The estate department has been ordered to clear encroachments on the existing 9-meter road to allow immediate construction.
High-Tech Flood Monitoring Approved
The AMC officially approved the 'Rain2Resilience' project, a citywide urban flood monitoring and decision support platform. Developed in collaboration with IIT Gandhinagar, this Rs 5.7 crore initiative aims to provide real-time data to manage urban flooding more effectively, according to Chairman Patel. Regarding immediate road safety, the civic body is pushing to make Ahmedabad pothole-free before heavy rains. Out of 16 major breakdown sites, 14 have already been repaired. The remaining two sites in the Gota area are scheduled for completion by June 23 and June 30. Additionally, there are 144 settlement locations linked to ongoing drainage and stormwater work, with 42 currently barricaded and under active repair.
