The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has approved a ₹10.46 crore desilting project for the eastern interceptor line along the Sabarmati Riverfront after monsoon flooding damaged property and disrupted several parts of the city. The 11.50-km drainage line is expected to be cleaned before the next monsoon so it can operate at full capacity.
The approval covers the removal of silt and other obstructions from the interceptor line running from Shahibaug Dafnala to Ambedkar Bridge. Drainage connections from several wards in Ahmedabad’s north, central and south zones are linked to this network, making the line an important part of the city’s stormwater and sewage management system.
The AMC water committee approved the proposal after negotiations with a contractor selected through a tender process. The drainage projects department had invited bids from contractors with CCTV inspection technology and heavy machinery required for cleaning the large underground line. Two contractors participated in the process, after which one agreed to undertake the work for ₹10.46 crore.
The interceptor system was developed as part of the Sabarmati Riverfront project. Lines were laid along both the eastern and western banks after drainage channels from different parts of the city had historically discharged directly into the Sabarmati. The riverfront system uses drainage lines and reinforced cement concrete ducts to carry sewage towards treatment facilities instead of allowing it to enter the river untreated.
The eastern interceptor network includes drainage lines measuring between 900 mm and 2,200 mm in diameter. Sewage collected through the eastern system is transported to the 106-million-litre-per-day sewage treatment plant at Pirana, where it is treated before being released into the river, according to the report.
The AMC’s decision follows waterlogging and flooding during the monsoon, when several parts of Ahmedabad faced inundation and residents reported damage to property. The reported explanation for the cleaning work is the accumulation of silt and other blockages inside the interceptor line, which can reduce the capacity of a system designed to move wastewater and stormwater across a dense urban area.
The water committee chairman said the cleaning would improve the line’s efficiency and make the city’s rainwater drainage arrangements more effective during the next monsoon. The municipality has not stated in the supplied report when the contractor will begin work or provided a detailed completion schedule beyond the commitment to finish the cleaning before the next monsoon.
