Army Joins Rescue Efforts After Heavy Rain Forces Gujarat Highway Closure
Flooding disrupts travel as rescue efforts intensify.
Heavy rainfall triggered widespread flooding across parts of Gujarat on Friday, forcing authorities to shut the Bavla-Sarkhej Highway and deploy the Army to assist with rescue operations in severely affected areas. Officials said traffic on the highway has been suspended due to extensive waterlogging, with vehicles being diverted through alternate routes. Rescue efforts are underway near the Meldi Mata Temple and the Gallops Industrial Park area close to Sariya Patiya, where floodwaters have disrupted normal movement and left several people stranded.
Visuals from the Gallops Industrial Park area showed commuters wading through chest-deep water, while others relied on tractors to cross inundated roads. Several vehicles, including cars and a passenger bus, were partially submerged after continuous rainfall caused severe flooding. Authorities said the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, senior police officials, and district administration teams are monitoring the situation on the ground to ensure coordinated rescue and relief operations.
A joint rescue operation involving teams from Bavla, the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC), and Changodar Police has been launched to evacuate stranded residents and move them to safer locations. The Army has also joined the operation to assist civil authorities in areas where floodwaters have made access difficult. Officials said the priority remains the safe evacuation of affected people while restoring normal traffic movement as soon as conditions improve.
Also Read: Gujarat Launches Campaign To Re-Enrol More Than 80,000 School Dropouts
Ahmedabad Rural Police have issued a traffic advisory urging commuters to avoid the flooded Bavla-Sarkhej Highway and use alternative routes. District Superintendent of Police Om Prakash Jat advised travellers heading from Bagodara to Ahmedabad to take the Expressway route via Vejalka and the Bagodara-Vataman Road. Authorities have appealed to the public to avoid waterlogged stretches, follow official advisories, and cooperate with emergency personnel deployed across the affected regions.
The heavy rainfall has disrupted normal life in several districts across Gujarat, with Navsari and Valsad among the worst affected, followed by Surat, Ahmedabad, Kheda, Tapi, and Dang. Persistent rainfall since Wednesday has caused widespread waterlogging, traffic congestion, and flood-like conditions in low-lying areas. Educational institutions, including schools and colleges, have been closed in the affected districts as a precautionary measure, while rescue teams continue to relocate residents from vulnerable areas to safer locations.
Also Read: Gujarat Jaish Operatives Underwent Toxic Gas And Bomb Training In J&K: Police
