Ahmedabads Madhumalti Housing choked by sewage as 2000 Nikol residents wade through waste
Ahmedabad’s Madhumalti Housing Scheme in the Nikol area has turned into a virtual cesspool, forcing nearly 2,000 residents to wade through sewage-contaminated water just to meet basic daily needs. Buckets in hand, they walk ankle-deep in filth to fetch drinking water, all while chemical waste from nearby factories continues to flood their streets.
Despite being part of a “Smart City” and holding UNESCO’s World Heritage tag, Ahmedabad’s ground reality for these residents paints a grim picture. The Madhumalti Housing, built by AUDA near Kathwada, has been suffering from chronic waterlogging for over a decade. But the crisis has now worsened—sewage and chemically-laced waste infiltrate homes even without rainfall.
The problem stems from illegal waste discharge by nearby industrial units into the city’s sewage system. Residents have endured 15 straight days of toxic flooding in their homes, with some forced to flee and temporarily relocate. For those who stay, daily commutes involve navigating waste-filled streets—some even use tractors to get out.
Frustrated residents claim civic leaders and AMC officials have failed them. Despite repeated complaints to BJP MLA Babubhai Jamnadas Patel and local corporators, no relief has come. Officials, they say, sit in air-conditioned offices while people here live in hellish conditions, risking exposure to harmful chemicals.
Although the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has promised that the upcoming Eastern Main Trunk Line will solve the issue, progress has been slow. Officials blame the monsoon for delays, but citizens argue this excuse only adds insult to injury. With the pace of construction crawling, the middle class population in Madhumalti continues to suffer, feeling abandoned by both leadership and bureaucracy.
