Empty Sabarmati stinks as AMC delays cleaning drive

Ahmedabad: The Sabarmati river has remained largely empty for over a month after the state govt’s irrigation department drained water for maintenance work on the 18 gates of the Vasna Barrage in Ahmedabad, but the much-publicised river-cleaning campaign by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is yet to begin.

The irrigation department had stopped releasing water into the river from upstream on March 26. By April 14, most parts of the river had been drained to facilitate repair work at the Vasna Barrage gates.

The AMC had planned to launch a large-scale river-cleaning drive with public participation once the riverbed became accessible. However, despite a month passing since the river was emptied, no cleaning activity has started.

In the meantime, sewage flow and stagnant water in certain stretches of the river have led to foul smell in nearby areas, causing inconvenience to residents. With temperatures rising in Ahmedabad, visitors at the Sabarmati Riverfront have also expressed disappointment over the empty riverbed and deteriorating conditions.

Officials said some lower portions of the river continue to hold water, which has delayed the cleaning operation. Large quantities of debris and waste remain visible in the exposed riverbed.

The Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corporation Ltd had previously undertaken a major river-cleaning exercise last year. During the campaign, around 945 metric tonnes of waste, including plastic, cloth, wood and other debris, were removed from the river.

The river was last cleaned in 2019. However, between 2019 and 2025, several infrastructure projects — including the bullet train corridor, Metro rail work, water pipeline projects and Atal Bridge construction — allegedly resulted in demolition waste being dumped onto the riverbed.

An AMC official, requesting anonymity, said, “Some parts of the Sabarmati river still have water, which is why the cleaning operation hasn’t started. We plan to begin the cleaning soon.”