GUVNL announces it will not impose smart meter installations, city endures extreme heat as temperature hits 45.9°C, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport gears up for Haj Yatra surge and much more. Catch up with the latest updates of your city through this Ahmedabad News Roundup.

The Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam (GUVNL) has initiated a statewide campaign to install prepaid smart electricity meters. However, in response to public protests and concerns regarding potential overcharging, GUVNL declared on Wednesday that it will refrain from "forcefully" installing these meters.

Instead, the company will prioritize installations at government offices initially, aiming to familiarize citizens with the new technology and enable comparisons with traditional meters.

Ahmedabad experienced one of its hottest days on record Wednesday, with temperatures soaring to 45.9°C, second only to Kandla's 46.1°C. This marks the sixth consecutive day of temperatures exceeding 44°C, with the heatwave expected to persist for another four days, making it a prolonged 10-day ordeal. This year's heatwave is notably longer and more severe than usual.

With the Haj Pilgrimage Yatra commencing on May 26, the airport management, Municipal Corporation, Traffic Police, and Haj Committee have met to plan logistics for the anticipated influx of over 10,000 pilgrims. To combat the heatwave, large domes equipped with coolers and drinking water facilities have been set up near the terminals.

In response to the tragic hoarding collapse in Mumbai's Ghatkopar, which resulted in nine fatalities and 70 injuries, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has mandated that all hoarding owners submit structural stability certificates.

This directive applies to 2,135 hoardings—250 managed by the AMC and 1,885 on private properties. Despite the urgency, only 28% of private hoarding owners and 35% of AMC-managed hoarding owners have complied.

Gujarat University will implement a centralized online admission system for its various courses. This initiative follows the Gujarat Common Association Services' (GCAS) introduction of a choice filling option to streamline online registration.