Ahmedabad: During the monsoon, rainwater accumulates in the underpasses of Ahmedabad city, necessitating manual closure. However, the standing committee approved a proposal on Thursday to install automatic boom barriers at 20 underpasses at a cost of Rs 2.96 crore. It has been decided to install 40 CCTV cameras with sensors at these underpasses. After installation, the gates will automatically close when the water level will reach 60 centimetres and reopen once the water recedes. All underpasses will be monitored from a control room. A pilot project was conducted at the Akhbarnagar underpass.
Currently, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has a manual system for closing underpasses during the monsoon. However, to prevent accidents during unexpected late-night rains, a decision was made to use technology.
In the monsoon, underpasses in the western part of Ahmedabad city, such as Akhbarnagar, Mithakhali, Parimal, Nirnaynagar, Jalaram, Usmanpura, and Jagatpur, face waterlogging issues. In the eastern part of the city, underpasses like Maninagar South, Kubernagar, Shahibaug, and Kaligam face similar issues.