Gujarat Announces ₹500 Crore Flood Protection Project for Surat After Record Rainfall

The Gujarat government has announced a ₹500 crore flood mitigation project for Surat after the city experienced what Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi described as the heaviest rainfall in its recorded history. The project aims to prevent creek water from entering the city during periods of intense rainfall and flooding.

Speaking after a review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Surat, Sanghavi said the unprecedented rainfall on July 7 had created flood-like conditions across several parts of the city, leaving authorities to deal with widespread waterlogging and rescue operations.

Highlighting the scale of the crisis, Sanghavi said, "Many areas in Surat had to face a flood situation due to heavy rains on July 7. Looking at the past records of rain in this city, this was the heaviest rainfall Surat witnessed. The people of Surat worked as a team to come out of this difficult situation. They helped the government agencies wherever they could reach."

He said the situation remained challenging, especially in areas severely affected by waterlogging, and praised residents for cooperating with emergency teams throughout the rescue and relief operations.

Describing the government's response, the Deputy Chief Minister said, "It was a challenging time. There were 7-8 areas where there was serious waterlogging. NDRF, SDRF, and other agencies worked hard to evacuate and relocate people." He added that coordinated efforts by multiple agencies helped minimise the impact of the flooding and ensured the safe evacuation of residents from the worst-hit localities.

Following the review of the flood situation, Sanghavi announced that the Chief Minister had approved a major infrastructure initiative to strengthen Surat's flood protection system. He said, "The CM today held a review meeting in Surat. The CM has announced Rs 500 crore towards a project to stop water from the creek entering the city."

The proposed project is expected to improve flood management infrastructure and reduce the risk of tidal creek water entering Surat during periods of heavy rainfall, an issue that has repeatedly affected several low-lying parts of the city.

The announcement comes as the Gujarat government continues to assess the damage caused by the recent rains while preparing long-term measures to strengthen urban flood resilience in Surat.