Ahmedabad: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said he had promised residents of Bopal-Ghuma that their homes would not be flooded even if the area received 25 inches of rainfall, adding that the drainage infrastructure required to address the problem would be put in place before he returned to seek votes in 2029.
Speaking at a public function in Ahmedabad, Shah referred to severe waterlogging in Bopal-Ghuma during the previous monsoon, when the area received 21 inches of rainfall in a single spell, leaving several houses inundated and triggering anger among residents.
He said a stormwater pumping station in the Bopal-Ghuma area was among the projects for which the foundation stone was laid.
“This monsoon, 21 inches of rain fell in a single spell. Water entered people’s homes in Bopal-Ghuma, and the anger among women residents was considerable,” Shah said.
Recalling his interaction with residents after the flooding, he said that although people did not openly confront him, their expressions reflected their concern about the recurring problem.
“I had told them that before I came to seek votes again in 2029, I would put a system in place so that even if 25 inches of rain fell, water would not enter their homes. Work towards fulfilling that promise has begun today,” he said.
The stormwater pumping station at Bopal-Ghuma is estimated to cost Rs 23.95 crore and is among six projects worth Rs 382.08 crore for which foundation stones were laid as part of the development programme.
The programme also included the inauguration of water infrastructure projects worth an estimated Rs 285.26 crore, including a 200 million litres per day (MLD) water treatment plant at Jaspur, trunk main pipelines and water distribution stations.
The projects include trunk main pipelines in Ranip, Chandlodia, Stadium and Navrangpura, aimed at strengthening the water supply network.
Shah said, “The Jaspur plant would supply treated Narmada water to the western parts of Ahmedabad, where the population was growing. Its foundation stone had been laid in 2002 and that it had subsequently been completed and upgraded.”
He said the latest expansion would further strengthen the water treatment infrastructure, while arrangements were also being made to address water accumulation in surrounding areas.
Describing the quality of treated water, Shah said the plant used modern technology and that the water supplied from it was comparable to mineral water.
The water and drainage projects are part of a wider infrastructure programme in Ahmedabad, where rapid urban growth has increased pressure on civic facilities, particularly during the monsoon.
Shah said, “The government is working to improve drainage and water management infrastructure alongside other urban development projects.”
His remarks come ahead of the 2029 general election, with Shah making a specific commitment to residents that the problem of rainwater entering their homes would be addressed before he seeks their votes again.
(IANS)
