Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Riverfront was cleared of revellers after Diwali firecrackers caused heavy smoke, severe air pollution and unbearable noise at the public venue from Sunday night to early Monday morning, according to officials and residents cited in the report.
The riverfront’s open grounds became a major location for firecracker bursts, with smoke spreading across the area and visibility and breathing conditions deteriorating. Police removed people from the grounds after the pollution and continuous noise intensified.
A senior official of the Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation Ltd (SRFDCL) said the riverfront had emerged as a firecracker-bursting hotspot over the past couple of years. The official said the agency had earlier asked city police to ensure that public property was not damaged during the celebrations.
The official added that cleaning work at the premises began on Monday. The lower promenade, the official said, had not been significantly affected by the firecrackers.
The air-quality impact was also reported beyond the riverfront. According to AQI.com, air quality in Ahmedabad ranged from severe to hazardous on Diwali night, particularly in the western parts of the city. The report did not provide a specific AQI reading for the riverfront.
The pollution affected residents and visitors using the riverfront as a public recreational space. Kuntal Patel, an IT engineering student from Satellite, said he had planned to take his sister, who was visiting from the United States, to the riverfront to watch the sunrise. They reached the area early on Monday but turned back because breathing was difficult and the air felt filled with smoke.
The episode places pressure on the management of a high-use public space during festival periods, when large gatherings and firecracker use can affect air quality, noise levels, cleanliness and access. SRFDCL said cleaning operations had started, while police intervention ended the gathering at the affected grounds.
