ગુજરાતી
English
Dilip Patel
Ahmedabad, October 12, 2025
Instead of closing the Kharikut Canal, which brings water from the Khari River passing through the heart of Ahmedabad city, the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and the state government spent Rs 5 thousand crores in 35 years on keeping it operational and repairing it, but no solution was found.
Due to the haphazard construction being done by builders around the Khari Canal, known as Asia’s largest garbage container, and the poor administration of Ampa, citizens’ money is flowing into the canal.
This has proved to be Ahmedabad’s most expensive project. That too, this expenditure was made for the benefit of builders and industries, but it has not been recovered from them.
Although there is no irrigation from this canal at present, the tax money of the citizens of Ahmedabad is being wasted by the government and Ampa. This expenditure is not stopping. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has once again approved an expenditure of Rs 1 thousand crore for the improvement of Kharikut Canal passing through Ahmedabad.
The state government has approved a cost of Rs 1 thousand crore for the second phase repair of the 100-year-old Kharikut Canal passing through the heart of Ahmedabad city. The state government has approved the development of eight sections of the Kharikut sub-canal. This work will be done in a length of 22.5 kilometers. Eight of these are irrigation canals, while four are rainwater canals.
There are 90 small bridges on the Kharikut Canal. It is dangerous. But the state irrigation department or the municipal corporation has not done any work to repair it.
In some sections, the RCC is preparing a detailed project report with a block estimate of Rs 10 crore. Design in accordance with canal box structure, which also includes storm water box structure, and design in accordance with canal box structure in other parts, as well as plan for water supply-drainage network-road-streetlight-street development works, at a cost of Rs 1003 crore, has been prepared and sent to the State Government after getting approval from the competent authority. In-principle approval has been received. Tender for this will be announced in next 15 days.
Kharicut Canal Phase-2 includes S.P. Ring Road to Muthia Nalla, Muthia Nalla to Naroda Crematorium, Vizol Vehala to Expressway, Vizol Vehala to Ghodasar (Aavkar Hall), Ghodasar (Aavkar Hall) to Vatva Gam (Devimata Pumping), Section-4 Vatva Gam (Devimata Pumping) to Khari River, Section-3 Vatva Gam (Devimata Pumping) to Vasai, S.P. Development will be done from Ring Road to Khari River, Vatva Gam (Devimata Pumping) to Ropda Lake and Saropda Lake to Khari River.
The Khari Cut Canal passing through the north-east and south area of Ahmedabad city is being developed at a cost of Rs 1200 crore. No consideration was given to the sub-canals.
104 bridges are dangerous
104 small bridges built on the Kharicut-Fatehwadi Canal in Ahmedabad are dangerous. The state government has not repaired these small bridges for 50 years. Traffic on these bridges has also been stopped.
At the time of approval of the Kharicut Development Project, a letter was written by the Irrigation Department and Sardar Sarovar Nigam stating that all the responsibility of these canals has been handed over to the corporation.
No in-principle decision has been taken. These canals are in a very dilapidated condition. The Executive Engineer of Sardar Sarovar Nigam Limited handed over Kharicut to the corporation in August 2024.
The Municipal Corporation had surveyed the structures under construction on both the canals and prepared an estimate of Rs 100 crore for the repair cost. According to an estimate, there are a total of 104 structures on the Kharicut and Fatehwadi canals, of which 98 structures are within the municipal corporation limits, whose repair is estimated to cost Rs 135 crore.
Asia’s largest garbage pot
Kharicut is being called Asia’s largest garbage pot. Hundreds of tonnes of garbage was removed by the Municipal Corporation at a cost of Rs three crore. Chemical and acidic water is being released. In 2017, the canal was cleaned by spending Rs 5.50 crore after 20 days of cleaning. But after that, due to lack of proper supervision and continuous cooperation of Gandhi-Vaidya, the flow of chemical and drain water in the canal did not stop. 24 CCTVs have been installed to stop the release of chemical water in the Kharicut canal. But it is stopped.
Phase 1
In the first phase, Phase-1, canal development work has been completed in a length of 12.75 km from Naroda crematorium to Vinjol Vehala. The allocated amount of Rs 1338 crore has been spent. Under Phase-2, redevelopment work has been approved in five different stretches of the existing canal. As per the design suggested by the Municipal Commissioner, the cost of the Kharikut development project was Rs 1400 crore.
Three schemes of Phase 1
It was decided to develop 12.50 km of the 22 km long canal and the work was to be completed by 2025.
The state irrigation department is providing 50 per cent of the cost in the project. The Municipal Corporation is providing 50 per cent of the cost.
The Municipal Corporation had sent all the three options to the irrigation department. Finally, the option of Rs 1200 crore approved by the irrigation department was chosen. The third and the most expensive option estimated at Rs 1200 crore was chosen by the administration.
The canal section at the base of Gota-Godhavi canal has been levelled with service roads on both sides. Double A grade RCC slabs have been prepared on the canal. Heavy vehicles will also be able to move easily.
Advantages
There are two precast RCC boxes of 2.60 m and 2.60 m for transporting irrigation water. In addition,
There are also two storm water boxes of 6 m and 3.30 m. The water carrying capacity of Kharicut canal will be 73.63 cubic metres per second. Monsoon water will flow into the surrounding area. This means that
The canal will be closed from the top and an 80 to 90 feet long asphalt road will be built on it. Traffic will become smooth on the Naroda-Narol route. People will stop throwing garbage.
Pollution
The amount of chemical-laden water in the canal has not reduced at all. Due to rain in monsoon, a huge amount of foul-smelling water comes into the canal. Some chemical factories in the Naroda GIDC area are releasing chemical-laden water into the Kharicut canal, and a notice has been issued to Naroda GIDC seeking clarification. The colour of the canal water had changed. Nearby citizens were facing foul smell.
The chemical water was released through 64 outlets. There are drainage outlets at 12 places.
Water is released into the Narola-Naroda track main from the drainage pumping stations of the east and north zone. The Naroda-Narol line is mostly full, so the water backs up and goes into the Kharikut canal. To prevent this dirty water from going into the canal, the lines and directions of eight pumping stations were changed. Instead of the Naroda-Narol main road, a smaller Chiloda-Vinjol road, built as the SG Ring Road, was connected to the main road.
The difference
This is the difference between east and west Ahmedabad. The development of the eastern zone was held back for years because of the Kharikut canal.
World Bank loan
GAD design approval, demarcation of the route, a grant of Rs 400 crore and joint supervision of Kharikut canal development will be done by the irrigation department. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has spent Rs 100 crore. Rs 400 crore has been received from the World Bank loan.
Five tenders
5 contracts were announced for the 12.75 km long Kharicut Canal.
The 5 sections of Kharicut Canal from Naroda Crematorium to Vinjol Vehala are as follows.
The work from Naroda Crematorium to Navayug School Crossing at a cost of Rs 235.80 crore is included.
The second tender of Rs 300 crore includes work from Navayug School Canal Crossing to Nidhi Park Society.
The third tender of Rs 241.34 crore includes Odhav Fire Station to Nidhi Park Society.
The fourth tender of Rs 232 crore includes work from Odhav Fire Station to Thomas Inglis High School.
The work from Thomas Inglis High School to Vinjol Vehala at a cost of Rs 253.75 crore is also included.
The mega line from Naroda GIDC to Pirana, which falls in the middle of the canal, has been shifted.
Corruption
The proposal to give the work to the company was rejected by the water committee without setting conditions to penalize the project management consultant in case of quality and other issues.
The committee also discussed the problem of polluted water. The tender does not have any penalty provisions to take other steps including penalizing the third party inspection party, i.e. PMC. The engineering department officials had already started efforts to protect and hide the third party inspection, PMC company TTI Consulting Engineers Private Limited.
Scam in the project
Ahmedabad’s 100-year-old Kharikat canal is being renovated by the Municipal Corporation at a cost of Rs 1250 crore. The Congress party has alleged that there has been a scam of Rs 240 crore in it.
Pre-boxes have not been laid for drainage in the middle of the canal.
Separate boxes were to be laid for irrigation and rainwater drainage.
But in the 2.5 km phase from Naroda crematorium to Navayug School, the contractor RKC Infrabelt Private Limited has not laid the pre-cast boxes.
Instead of laying the boxes as per the tender, only a wall has been built.
Leader of Opposition Shahzad Khan Pathan said that a scam has been committed by not laying the pre-cast boxes. Two pre-cast boxes were to be laid in five phases. Casting was done in-situ boxes.
In the first phase, the contract has been given to a company named RKC Infrabelt from Naroda crematorium to Navayug School. Pre-cast boxes have not been laid. As per the tender, the boxes have not been laid, only the wall of the casting site has been erected and covered.
The second phase is two and a half kilometers from Navayug School to Nidhi Park Society. Its work is being done by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited. Pre-cast boxes and casting site boxes have been laid in it, but when this contractor came to know that RKC Infra Belt Company has not laid the boxes, he also stopped the laying work.
The contractor doing the fifth phase work, Kalathia Engineering and Construction, has not done any work of laying pre-cast boxes, only the surrounding wall has been built.
Who will be responsible if there is any gap in the canal in future? The design has been changed.
There is no mention of any design in the tender. It is clearly stated that pre-cast boxes and casting site boxes will be laid.
The design of this 12 km project is the same, not different designs.
A multimedia consultant company has also been appointed. SCP Company has been appointed as the project management consultant company for the Kharikut Canal Development Project. Which is 1.25 percent of the total project, whose responsibility is to monitor the entire project. Why did they not pay attention?
Khadi Committee Chairman Devang Dani has termed the opposition’s allegations as baseless. Wherever there was a need for bends or technical joints, in-situ casting was used.
Or is.
In-charge of Water Resources Management Vijay Patel said that there is no scam in the project. The tender was issued and both the works were to be done both ways.
There has been no violation of tender conditions or corruption. If casting site is set up in the entire project, then Rs 100 crore will be saved.
Second phase
Approval of second phase
Out of the total length constructed by the irrigation department passing through Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation limits, the remaining length after the works included in phase-1, from S.P. Ring Road via Muthiya village to Naroda crematorium and from Vinjol Vehala via Ghodasar Jagruk Hall via Vatva to S.P. Ring Road, the presently existing Kharikut canal is open.
Works worth about Rs 1003 crore have been approved for the work of Kharikut Canal Redevelopment Phase-2. S.P. Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation will take up the redevelopment of existing canal from Ring Road to Naroda crematorium, Vinjol Vehala to Ghodasar (Aavkar Hall), Ghodasar (Aavkar Hall) to Vatva Village and Vatva Village to S.P. Ring Road.
RCC storm water box structure, road, pavement development, retting wall, water supply pipeline, irrigation structure, storm water extension, sewer system etc. have been included.
Due to the mixing of garbage, canal water gets polluted, which also harms public health.
National Green Tribunal and garbage
Pirana dump site and Kharikut canal are becoming a stigma on Ahmedabad city. After strict monitoring of National Green Tribunal, bio-mining has been started at Pirana dump site.
National Green Tribunal has also taken a tough stand on Kharikut canal issue. Therefore, work was started on war footing to save Kharikut canal from getting polluted. Within about a year, it was decided to stop the drain water flowing into the canal. The state government and the municipal corporation are making repeated announcements to clean the Kharicut canal.
In the survey conducted after the order of the National Green Tribunal, work has been started in Gajanand Park Nikol, Awadhesh Park, Prabuddha Ashram Nikol, Amardeep Park Nikol Surgeon Shopping Center, Sardar Chowk Bridge, Narayan Park Nikol, Nikol Ward Pumping Station, Kavya Residency Thakkarnagar, Arshiwad Park Pumping Station, Ambikanagar Odhav and Keshav Park Odhav. A 300 mm gravity pipeline was laid near Gajanand Park Nikol and Awadhesh Park. Which cost Rs 10 lakh.
Other expenses for Kharicut
After the order of the Green Tribunal, a 1.25 km gravity pipeline was to be laid near Amardeep Park Nikol and Surgeon Shopping Center.
Satyam Pumping Station was upgraded in the northern area.
A 3.5 km long rising line was laid and connected to Nana Chiloda-Vinjol line. The cost of rising line and gravity line was Rs 4.60 crore.
About 2 km long gravity line was laid from Bapa Sitaram Chowk to Satyam Pumping Station.
Rs 1.45 crore was spent on upgradation of Satyamnagar Pumping Station.
Upgradation work of Nikol (Kavya), Ambikanagar Odhav, Chhotalalni Chali, Rabari Colony and Jeevanwadi pumping stations of East Zone was completed.
All pumping station lines were taken towards S.P. Ring Road.
Connections were added to Odhav 310 Drainage Pumping Station. A 3 km long gravity line was laid near Nikol Ward Pumping Station and Kavya Recreation at a cost of Rs 2.75 crore.
A 3 km long rising line connecting Rabari Hoshat drainage pumping station was laid near Ambikanagar Odhav.
A 500 mm rising line was to be laid near Chhotelal Ki Chali at a cost of Rs 1.70 crore.
To prevent the flow of polluted water into the Kharikut canal, 18 km new lines connecting 8 drainage pumping station lines were laid at a cost of Rs 26 crore.
An 800 meter long road was constructed on Kharikut canal near Jasodanagar on an experimental basis.
A 22 km long four-lane road was to be constructed by laying RCC slabs on Kharikut canal. But only 12 km of work could be completed.
Closed during monsoon
The Kharikut canal project located in the eastern region, which is the biggest project of Ahmedabad city, was closed for four months due to monsoon. Rainwater from the eastern region comes into the Kharikut canal. 64 rain columns and 112 pumps have been installed in the Kharikut Canal. So that there can be quick disposal of water.
Promises
This canal has become the biggest garbage dump. It has also become a headache for the residents. Mosquitoes breed from the garbage thrown in the Kharikut Canal. You fall ill all twelve months. The state government and AMPA had made announcements of the development of Kharikut Canal several times in the last four decades. Crores of rupees were also allocated. All the work remained promises and promises only. After getting the approval of the World Bank, AMPA had announced the development of the canal in 2022 at a cost of Rs 900 crore in the draft budget. The government has already spent Rs 900 crore.
This canal was built on a “four lane” road at a cost of about Rs 300 crore.
Assembly
It passes through 4 areas of Ahmedabad city. It comes under 5 assembly constituencies. Naroda, Nikol, Thakkarnagar, Amraiwadi and Vatva Assembly Constituencies
Old Canal
Residential and commercial constructions have been carried out on both sides of the canal. It falls in low lying areas. Hence, it gets filled with water during monsoon.
The width of the canal is 4.8 metres and water capacity is 20 cumecs. There is a three to four metre wide road on both sides of the canal. As per the new design, the width of the road is 9 to 10 metres. The height of the existing road on both sides of the canal has been reduced by one metre. This has increased the width of the road and canal.
The level of the canal and surrounding societies has become almost the same.
To solve the problem of rainwater logging, rainwater drainage drains have been constructed on both sides of the canal.
The line has been constructed. Which has become the longest stormwater line of Ahmedabad parallel to Kharikut. The design of the stormwater drainage is 50.72 cusecs.
The existing width of the Kharikut Canal (upstream) is 10 to 35 meters. The width of the bottom is 7 to 12 meters. The canal is used for Kharif and Rabi seasons.
After the construction of the canal and stormwater drainage was completed, road and other utility works were done.
Irrigation
In 2023, it was decided to include 35 thousand hectares of irrigated area of 6 thousand farmers of 111 villages of Kharikut-Fatewadi Yojana in the irrigated area of Sardar Sarovar Narmada Yojana.
Irrigation
This canal is 110 years old. Which was constructed for the purpose of irrigation. Originally, Kharicut Canal was a natural drainage. The command area of this canal was 10 thousand 200 hectares. At present, the irrigation area of this canal is 5 thousand hectares for Kharif crops. 2500 hectares are left for Rabi crops. But this much irrigation is not done. Due to the reduced amount of irrigation, the canal has turned into a “garbage bin”. It was built with a capacity of 71.58 cusecs for irrigation and water transport of the surrounding area.
Collaboration of builders
People living from Hathijan to Memadpura are extremely upset with the illegal release of sewage from Vastral Small Canal Ramol Toll Tax into Hathijan Khari River. The drainage project department of the corporation was illegally pumping sewage from estates, flats and other schemes and dumping it into Kharicut. Sewage from Shrey Exotica Flats, Vastral to Nani Canal Road, Ramol Ring Road Toll Road was being dumped into Kharicut.
Societies built
In the northern area, many societies are located in the low-lying areas between Nikol and Thakkarnagar. Outlets have been installed for rainwater drainage in the lower societies of Thakkarnagar. These include Gajanand Park, Narayan Park, Amardeep and Pushpak societies, where rainwater is in large quantities. The rainwater collected in the societies is disposed of in Khariket.
While in Naroda, a sump has been built in Vyaswadi and Jogni Mata Mandir area. Rainwater is pumped from the sump and taken to the canal. Rainwater is also collected around Parshvanath Township and Navayug Pumping Station in the northern area.
In the eastern area, rainwater is filled in the canal parallel to Odhav Fire Brigade and in the area from Bapa Sitaram Chowk to Gopal Chowk. In the southern area, rainwater is also filled in 12 societies near the canal in Indrapuri Society. For which separate sumps have been built.
Suvidha Society and its surrounding areas near Gorna Kuwa are also flooded with rainwater.
Like Kharikat, repair the Farehwadi canal too.
Many young children have died due to drowning in the canal passing through Maktampura-Sarkhej area of the city. The canal passing through Fatehwadi area of Maktampura ward is owned by Narmada Nigam. There is a demand to build a service road by putting up barricades on both sides. Repeated memos have been given to widen the dilapidated culverts. The traffic load can be diverted from Vishala Circle to the national highway going to Sarkhej. (Google translation from Gujarati)
