Five foot-over bridges to come up on SG Highway pedestrian safety, over 1 lakh passengers travelled in Ahmedabad- Bhuj Namo Bharat Rapid Rail by Nov, mild cold spell expected in city this week, and more. Catch up with the latest news of the city with this Ahmedabad News Roundup.

The Sarkhej-Gandhinagar (SG) Highway, one of Ahmedabad's busiest thoroughfares, will soon have five new foot-over bridges to improve pedestrian safety. The proposed bridges will be installed at key locations: ISKCON-Rajpath Club, Grand Bhagwati Hotel, Thaltej Underpass near Binori Hotel, Gota Overbridge, and Nirma University.

Each bridge will span approximately 50 to 59 metres and have a width of 3.5 metres. To enhance accessibility, all bridges will be equipped with elevators. The project aims to reduce accidents and ensure smooth pedestrian movement across the highway.

The Namo Bharat Rapid Rail, connecting Ahmedabad and Bhuj, has recorded significant passenger traffic since its inauguration on 16th of September 2024.

Between September and November, over one lakh passengers travelled on the route, generating a revenue of ₹3.12 crore. The train, which features state-of-the-art indigenous technology and modern amenities, has seen increasing occupancy rates, indicating growing popularity among commuters. Officials anticipate further growth in ridership in the coming months.

Ahmedabad is set to experience mild cold during the first week of December, following a warmer-than-average November. According to meteorologists, severe cold is unlikely in the seven days of December, with minimum temperatures expected to stay between 18-19°C until the 7th of December. 

For the first time in five years, the city did not see minimum temperatures dip below 15°C throughout November. But a gradual decline in temperatures is anticipated later in the month, with the minimum expected to reach around 11°C by the 20th of December.

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) has initiated a project to replenish three key lakes in the city—Sheelaj Lake, Bhadaj Lake, and Thaltej Lake—by treating and reusing rainwater and drainage water.

A 5 MLD (Million Litres per Day) Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) will be constructed at a cost of ₹78.29 lakh to purify the drainage water. The purified water will be released into the lakes monthly. The lakes are also interlinked, allowing overflow from one to replenish the others, ensuring a consistent water level throughout the year.

Ahmedabad has witnessed a significant surge in waterborne diseases in 2024, with reported cases surpassing last year’s figures, according to data released by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). Between the 1st of January and the 30th of November, the city recorded 9,724 cases of gastroenteritis, a sharp rise from 6,847 cases in 2023.

Similarly, jaundice cases have almost doubled, increasing from 1,739 last year to 2,995 this year. Typhoid cases have also climbed from 4,308 in 2023 to 5,060 in 2024, while cholera cases have more than doubled, rising from 95 to 199.