Two years after an ambitious upgrade of Ahmedabad’s road network through white topping technology, only a fraction of the project has reached completion. Out of 84 road stretches sanctioned for redevelopment at a sanctioned outlay of ₹298 crore, only 27 have been completed as of July 4—revealing growing inefficiencies within the city’s civic infrastructure planning.
The white-topping initiative, promoted as a durable and climate-resilient solution to the city’s recurring pothole and waterlogging issues, was designed to cover over 61 kilometres across Ahmedabad. Yet, a combination of delayed project estimations, repeated excavation of newly built stretches, and monsoon disruptions has slowed progress and sparked widespread public frustration. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) had initially greenlit ₹99.42 crore for 22 road segments, covering just under 19 km. Of these, 21 have been completed. However, the larger share of the project—62 roads managed under AMC’s zonal jurisdiction with a collective budget of ₹198.58 crore—has seen only five completed stretches. Work is ongoing on 28 roads, while the remaining 29 projects have yet to commence.
City officials acknowledge that a lack of timely coordination, particularly in relocating underground utilities, has led to roads being dug up shortly after being surfaced. A particularly glaring example is Gurukul Road in Memnagar, which had to be excavated nearly ten times within a year due to water line leakages. The planning shortfall also extends to poor civic consultation. While local councillors were initially tasked with recommending roads for white topping, many of their proposals were excluded due to slow estimate preparation. This has led to accusations of top-down execution and a lack of localised decision-making. Residents of several low-lying neighbourhoods have raised concerns that elevated white-topped roads are worsening seasonal flooding, as water flows down into societies and colonies. Without adequate slope design or drainage restructuring, these roads have become symbols of civic disconnect rather than progress.
Environmentalists and sustainable city planners have long advocated for integrated road-building practices that consider stormwater management, underground services, and ecological impact. The Ahmedabad case now serves as a cautionary tale of the cost of fragmented planning—even when budgets are sizeable. From an urban development lens, white topping is still considered a long-term, eco-efficient method, as it reduces maintenance frequency and offers better thermal reflectivity, contributing to heat island mitigation. But these benefits remain aspirational when on-ground execution is outpaced by administrative delays and reactive fixes.
Standing committee leaders of the AMC have directed teams to speed up implementation. Yet without deeper structural reform in inter-departmental planning, the city risks repeating its mistakes in future infrastructure drives. The ongoing monsoon only intensifies the urgency. With waterlogging already disrupting commuter movement and raising public health concerns, incomplete roads and broken surfaces present both a safety hazard and a reputational setback for the city’s development narrative. As residents wait for the promised transformation of their daily commute, Ahmedabad’s white-topping journey reminds us that concrete progress must be built on a foundation of coordination, accountability, and citizen-inclusive planning.
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