- Rail services hit by waterlogging on Bilimora and Ahmedabad–Viramgam sections; multiple trains cancelled, diverted or short-terminated
- Ahmedabad–Rajkot highway closed between Bagodara and Sanathal; motorists diverted via Dholera Expressway
- Ahmedabad schools and colleges to remain shut on July 25; AMC-run Anganwadis closed till July 27
- Telecom lifeline activated in Valsad, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman as DoT enables intra-circle roaming till July 27
- IMD warns of continuing heavy to extremely heavy rain in several parts; Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Vadodara remain under close watch
- Emergency helplines: 1070 State Disaster Control Room | 1077 District Emergency | 108 Medical Emergency | 112 Integrated Emergency Response
NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, JULY 24
The rain may have stopped in some neighbourhoods, but Gujarat’s public life is still operating under a weather warning. Before boarding a train, taking a highway, sending a child to school, driving through an underpass, travelling to the airport or relying on a mobile network in flood-hit South Gujarat, citizens have been urged to check the latest official advisory.
The monsoon fury has disrupted railways, highways, education and telecom connectivity, while emergency and relief agencies remain on high alert. The India Meteorological Department has forecast continued thunderstorms and rain in Ahmedabad, with very heavy rainfall warnings for Vadodara and Surat and extremely heavy rainfall warnings for Gandhinagar in its July 24 forecast. Ahmedabad recorded 294.6 mm of rain in the preceding 24-hour period in the IMD city report.
Rail passengers: check before you board
Waterlogging on the Bilimora rail section has led to the temporary suspension of rail traffic as a safety measure, affecting several services of the Ahmedabad Division.
Among the trains cancelled on July 24 are:
- 22954 Ahmedabad–Mumbai Central Gujarat Superfast Express
- 20959 Valsad–Vadnagar Superfast Express
- 69185 Ahmedabad–Viramgam MEMU
- 59510 Viramgam–Mehsana Passenger
- 12010 Ahmedabad–Mumbai Central Shatabdi Express
- 20902 Gandhinagar Capital–Mumbai Central Vande Bharat Express
- 19034 Ahmedabad–Valsad Gujarat Queen Express
- 12933 Bandra Terminus–Ahmedabad Karnavati Express
- 19417 Borivali–Ahmedabad Express
Further disruptions have been reported on the Ahmedabad–Viramgam section between Chharodi and Viramgam.
The following services have been fully cancelled for July 24:
- 69186/69185 Viramgam–Ahmedabad–Viramgam MEMU
- 59512/59511 Viramgam–Mehsana–Viramgam Passenger
- 22925 Ahmedabad–Okha Vande Bharat Express
- 22926 Okha–Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express on July 25
Several trains have also been partially cancelled, short-terminated or diverted.
Among the major diversions, train,s including the Gandhidham–Nagercoil Express, Dhrangadhra–Ahmedabad Namo Bharat Rapid Rail and Veraval–Jabalpur Express are being operated via the Viramgam–Katosan Road–Kalol–Ahmedabad route.
The Veraval–Sabarmati Vande Bharat Express is being operated via Viramgam–Mehsana–Sabarmati, while the Gandhinagar Capital–Veraval Somnath Express is being operated via Kalol–Mehsana.
The scheduled departure of the Ahmedabad–Pune Duronto Express has been changed from 10.30 pm on July 24 to 2.10 am on July 25.
Passenger advisory: Check the latest status of the train before leaving home through NTES, RailMadad or official railway channels. Rail services may change rapidly depending on water levels and track safety.
Roads: Avoid flooded stretches and underpasses
The Ahmedabad–Rajkot National Highway has been closed between Bagodara and Sanathal because of waterlogging.
Traffic has been diverted through the Ahmedabad–Dholera Expressway and Vejalka Junction. Motorists have been advised to avoid unnecessary travel, follow diversions and not attempt to drive through flooded stretches.
In Ahmedabad, waterlogging has also affected several underpasses. Civic teams have reopened a number of underpasses after dewatering, but some remained closed as water continued to accumulate. Motorists have been advised to follow traffic diversions and avoid any road or underpass where the depth of water cannot be assessed safely.
The road situation is particularly fluid in flood-hit areas. A route that is open in the morning may become unsafe after another spell of rain. Citizens should therefore rely on current traffic and administration advisories rather than older social-media messages.
Schools, colleges and anganwadis: holidays extended
In view of the heavy rainfall forecast and the prevailing situation, all government, grant-in-aid and private schools and colleges in Ahmedabad city will remain closed on Saturday, July 25.
The precautionary closure follows the suspension of academic activities on July 24. AMC-run Anganwadis will remain closed till July 27, according to the latest civic advisory. Citizens, parents and institutions have been urged to avoid unnecessary travel and rely only on official information.
The decision is aimed at protecting students, parents, teachers and other staff from risks posed by waterlogging, disrupted transport and continuing heavy rainfall.
In rain-affected parts of South Gujarat, education authorities have also asked schools to make up for lost working days by functioning on certain public holidays to meet mandatory academic requirements.
Parents’ advice
Do not send children to school solely on the basis of an old WhatsApp message. Confirm the status directly with the institution and follow the latest district or civic advisory.
Mobile networks: Your phone may connect to another operator
The Department of Telecommunications has activated Intra-Circle Roaming (ICR) in Valsad district of Gujarat and the adjoining Union Territory districts of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman, where flooding has caused major telecom node outages.
The facility will remain available up to 11.59 pm on July 27, 2026, or until further instructions.
Under ICR, a subscriber whose home network is unavailable can connect to another available operator’s network within the same telecom circle. This is particularly important for residents, rescue teams, healthcare workers and disaster-management agencies during a communications emergency.
To use the facility:
- Keep Automatic Network Selection enabled.
- If the phone does not connect automatically, go to Settings → Mobile Networks → Network Operators.
- Manually select another available network.
The DoT is monitoring network conditions and coordinating with service providers to restore affected infrastructure.
Air travel: Check flight status before leaving
No blanket closure of Ahmedabad airport has been indicated in the information available for this report. However, with intense rain affecting several parts of Gujarat, passengers should check the latest flight status directly with their airline and airport authorities before setting out.
Heavy rain can affect airport access roads, ground handling, visibility and flight schedules even when airport operations continue.
Travel tip
Reach the airport only after confirming that the flight is operating and that the route to the airport is accessible.
Healthcare and emergencies: Keep these numbers handy
During flooding, access to emergency healthcare can become a race against time. Citizens requiring urgent medical assistance should use the State’s emergency systems.
Important Gujarat emergency numbers:
- 1070 — Commissioner of Relief / State Disaster Emergency
- 1077 — District Emergency Response Centre
- 108 — Emergency medical, police and fire services
- 112 — Integrated national emergency response
- 101 — Fire services
- 102 — Ambulance services
The Gujarat Government’s emergency response framework lists 1070 and 1077 for disaster response, while the State’s emergency services include 108 for medical, police and fire emergencies.
Citizens should avoid entering floodwater, particularly where electricity lines, open manholes or fast-moving currents may be present. People with urgent medical needs should contact emergency services rather than attempting risky travel through inundated roads.
The big citizen message: Don’t travel on yesterday’s information
The most important advice emerging from the rain emergency is simple: check before you move.
- Check your train status before leaving for the station.
- Check road and highway advisories before beginning a long journey.
- Check with your school or college before sending children out.
- Check flight status before travelling to the airport.
- Keep automatic network selection enabled in flood-affected telecom zones.
- Save 1070, 1077, 108 and 112 in your phone.
- Avoid rumours and rely on official advisories.
As Gujarat continues to face heavy rainfall and the possibility of further intense spells, the citizen’s safest strategy is not panic—but preparedness, verified information and the willingness to postpone non-essential travel.
In a monsoon emergency, the shortest route is not always the safest route, the scheduled train is not always the running train and the last message on your phone is not necessarily the latest truth. Check first. Move only when necessary. Stay safe.
