Heavy rains fill 89 lakes across Ahmedabad, boosting groundwater levels; severe waterlogging hits SG Highway and SP Ring Road; 84 illegal hoardings removed in the city, and more. Catch up with what's happening in the city in this Ahmedabad News Roundup.

Following three days of intense rainfall, 89 lakes across Ahmedabad have reached full capacity, according to the AMC Standing Committee. This will significantly contribute to groundwater recharge.

Various areas including Thaltej, Gota, Bodakdev, Vasna, Sabarmati, Chandkheda, Jodhpur, Vejalpur, Naroda, Asarwa, Vastral, and Nikol have seen water volume rise from 20 lakh to 150 lakh litres.

Ahmedabad’s SG Highway and SP Ring Road were heavily waterlogged following torrential rains, leading to significant disruptions. The Vaishnodevi Circle Junction was among the worst-hit areas, causing the closure of the Vaishnodevi Underpass.

Dug-up roads further worsened conditions, particularly near the Sola overbridge and the flyover close to the Gujarat High Court. In Tragad, an entire road disappeared under floodwaters, while road surfaces were washed away near Karnavati Crossroads and the stretch from Honest Crossroads to Sarkhej Circle.

The Gujarat High Court was informed last week that 84 hoardings deemed illegal or unsafe have been removed across Ahmedabad. Of the more than 2,000 billboards and hoardings in the city, 74 were found to be erected without proper permissions, while 12 were classified as unsafe by the Municipal Corporation.

Gujarat has been battered by heavy to very heavy rains over the past three days, severely affecting public transport across the state. Flooding has particularly impacted Vadodara and its nearby areas, where several trains have been cancelled.

Yesterday, 22 trains bound for Vadodara, Anand, Mumbai, and Bhuj were cancelled due to excessive waterlogging. Additionally, the Gujarat Express from Mumbai Central to Ahmedabad on August 29 and the Saurashtra Express from Dadar to Porbandar on August 30 have been cancelled.

In Ahmedabad, 15 gates of the Vasna Barrage were opened at 3 feet and 4 gates at 4 feet, releasing nearly 25,000 cusecs of water. Authorities have issued a flood warning to residents living along the banks of the Sabarmati River downstream, advising them to remain cautious.