AMC in action with pre-monsoon perp, sets up zonal control rooms

Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) on Thursday announced the launch of seven control rooms one in each zone, as part of its pre-monsoon plan.

These zonal control rooms will work in three shifts round-the-clock during the entire rainy season.

AMC claimed that authorities are prepared to tackle the city’s rain-related problems.

Citizens will now be able to lodge complaints related to dangerous billboards, dilapidated houses, tree collapse, potholes, road cave-ins and waterlogging through WhatsApp numbers allotted to each zone. 

In a statement on pre-monsoon preparations, AMC said that high-capacity pumps have been installed at 21 underpasses to drain rainwater, and experienced staff equipped with walkie-talkie sets have been appointed.

AMC officials claimed that cleaning of 63,725 catch pits for rainwater is in progress.

The second and third phases of catch pit cleaning have also been planned. All catch pits have been numbered and painted yellow. 

AMC’s parks and gardens department plans to deploy nine tree trimming vans. Apart from that, 60 tractor trolleys and four labourers will be assigned to every ward.

Dry and precariously tilting trees are being trimmed and 105km of drain lines have been desilted so far. Officials said that rainwater is discharged from 23 points on the Sabarmati’s west bank and 18 points on the east bank. Lakes are being deepened and percolating wells cleaned. 

As many as 67 sumps have been made in the Kharicut canal and 113 pumps installed for rainwater drainage. The civic body will monitor water congestion in the city using its network of 2,385 CCTV cameras.

During the AMC’s monsoon planning meeting on Thursday, mayor Pratibha Jain and standing committee chairman Devang Dani discussed various issues with departmental heads.

Officials informed that 12 lakes have been deepened and nine new percolating wells have been constructed.