Ahmedabad’s priciest infrastructure project, the Jalaram underpass, is already displaying alarming signs of decay a mere four months after its grand inauguration. The underpass, which came with a hefty price tag of Rs 83 crore, stands as the most expensive project undertaken by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) to date. Spanning 452 metres, the underpass, unveiled on March 4, has been plagued by construction and design issues, exacerbated by the onset of the monsoon season.
Residents and municipal councillors have raised concerns over the emergence of potholes and the exposure of reinforcement bars, sparking a wave of discontent within the community. The situation has prompted a blame game among the key stakeholders, including Gujarat Metro Rail, AMC, and Western Railways. According to a senior AMC official, the underpass was a collaborative effort between these entities, designed to serve the Paldi area. The project, originally conceptualised in 2016 as a 402-metre-long underpass, underwent significant design modifications due to the interventions of local municipal councillors.
The length of the underpass was subsequently extended by approximately 50 metres, necessitating a comprehensive redesign and contributing to a four-year delay in its completion. Furthermore, last-minute beautification efforts, including the addition of special murals on the underpass walls, further escalated the project’s cost. Financially, the Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation (GMRC) shouldered the lion’s share of the expenses, contributing Rs 47 crore. The AMC provided Rs 33 crore, while Western Railways added Rs 3 crore to the budget. When compared to other underpasses and flyovers constructed in Ahmedabad over the past seven years, the Jalaram underpass stands out not only for its high cost but also for the rapid onset of structural issues.
The current state of the underpass raises serious questions about the quality of construction and the oversight mechanisms employed during its development. As the stakeholders engage in finger-pointing, the residents of Ahmedabad are left to navigate a critical piece of infrastructure that seems to be failing prematurely, underscoring the urgent need for accountability and remedial action.
