Ahmedabad Traders Slam AMC, Gujarat Govt After Flood Losses Worth Lakhs

AHMEDABAD :  As floodwaters recede from parts of Ahmedabad, anger is rising among traders who say they have been left to count their losses while the Gujarat government and the Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) offer promises instead of timely action. At Indraprastha Tower on Drive-In Road, shop owners claim they have suffered losses worth lakhs after four to five feet of rainwater submerged their businesses, exposing what they describe as the failure of the city’s drainage system and disaster response.

More than 20 shops were flooded after heavy rain sent water rushing into the commercial complex. Furniture, electronics, stock, documents and business equipment were destroyed. Traders said the damage has forced many establishments to remain shut for nearly a week.

“We are traders, not beggars,” several shop owners said while rejecting what they called inadequate relief announcements. “If the government cannot fully compensate our losses, it should provide interest-free or low-interest loans. We do not want charity. We want an opportunity to rebuild our businesses.”

Many traders pointed out that history has repeated itself. In 2001, Indraprastha Tower was flooded under similar circumstances. Twenty-five years later, despite repeated claims of improved urban infrastructure, the same area was once again submerged.

“Our shops were under nearly four feet of water. I have suffered losses of ₹18 lakh to ₹20 lakh,” said cloth merchant Prakashbhai Gohil. “In 2001, I was promised assistance after suffering losses of around ₹2 lakh. I completed all the paperwork, but even after 25 years, I have not received a single rupee. Why should we trust the government’s promises now?”

Traders also alleged that neither AMC nor government officials visited the site immediately after the flooding. Instead, shop owners hired pumps at their own expense to remove the water and clean their premises.

Stationery shop owner Nisarg Modi estimated his losses at ₹8 lakh to ₹10 lakh. “My Xerox and colour printing machines were damaged beyond repair. Even if they start working again, they won’t last long. I will have to buy new machines. Announcing relief is easy. The real question is whether it will ever reach us.”

Responding to the criticism, Ahmedabad Mayor Hitesh Barot said the AMC would provide assistance similar to the relief announced in Surat. “The municipal corporation will conduct a survey of all affected properties. Relief and tax concessions will be provided as per government norms,” he said.

For traders struggling to reopen their businesses, however, assurances are no longer enough. They say the latest flooding has once again exposed glaring shortcomings in Ahmedabad’s drainage infrastructure and emergency response, leaving them to bear the financial burden while waiting for promises to become reality.