The Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA) has decided to undertake a ₹50 crore project to address chronic rainwater logging in Shela, Sanathal and surrounding areas by deepening Sanathal Lake and connecting it to the Kolat Drain, according to AUDA sources cited by Nav Gujarat Samay.
The decision follows severe waterlogging across Ahmedabad city and AUDA-administered areas during heavy rain in July and August. The flooding reportedly led to public complaints and prompted interventions involving senior political and administrative authorities. The project is intended to move beyond short-term local drainage measures by considering the wider catchment area from which rainwater flows into the Shela-Sanathal region.
Under the proposed plan, Sanathal Lake will be deepened to increase its capacity to hold stormwater. The stored water is also expected to support groundwater recharge and potentially serve as a water resource. The lake will be linked with the Kolat Drain so that rainwater from Shela, Sanathal and nearby areas can be directed into the lake instead of accumulating on roads and in built-up neighbourhoods.
AUDA sources said the need for a long-term drainage intervention has grown as these areas have urbanised rapidly. Development has placed increasing pressure on existing natural drainage arrangements, while irregular weather and intense rainfall have made localised flooding more difficult to manage. The proposed approach is therefore based on the catchment rather than only on removing water from individual streets or neighbourhoods.
The project is expected to seek support under central government grants available for reducing urban flooding through the National Disaster Management framework. AUDA is also planning a separate ₹50 crore project to cover seven lakes between Kaneti and Telav under an interlinking programme. These lakes would be deepened to increase water storage. Together, AUDA plans to seek a total grant of approximately ₹100 crore for rainwater management projects in its jurisdiction.
The authority is also moving towards a digital complaint registration system for residents in its areas. A tender process has been initiated for a Comprehensive Complaint and Redressal System through which residents can report problems related to roads, water supply, sewage and rainwater. The proposed system will include a control room, interactive voice response facility, web portal, mobile application, WhatsApp chatbot and SMS services.
In addition, AUDA is working on a Field Track mobile application and web-based management portal to monitor its projects. According to AUDA sources, the platform will bring project progress, site inspections, GPS-based attendance and administrative supervision onto a single digital system. The authority has said the system is intended to accelerate implementation and improve transparency. Further details on tender timelines, project design and execution milestones were not provided in the report.
