‘Where is smooth road you Trump-eted about?’

█ Residents of Motera, Sabarmati, Chandkheda ask Metro

Metro had given a facelift to the route from Chimanbhai Bridge to Motera Stadium ahead of Trump’s visit to Ahmedabad in February. Six months down the line, commuters struggle to ride through potholed stretches while avoiding to get hit by flying gravel

Rakshit Patel, 26, is glad he wears a face shield while driving through Motera, Chandkheda, and Sabarmati to go to his office on Ashram Road.

While the covering protects him against coronavirus, it also acts as a shield against the sharp gravel that flies at him while he rides along the Metro route in these areas. The Metro had resurfaced the roads to ensure that US President Donald Trump enjoyed a bump-free ride to Motera Stadium for the ‘Namaste Trump’ event in February. Six months later, residents and commuters rage over the roads that now resemble the crater-filled surface of the moon.


The Metro had given a facelift to the route from Chimanbhai Bridge to Motera Stadium but the road is in a bad shape today. While several stretches are riddled with potholes, there are spots where the surface has been completely washed away. The stretch in front of Sabarmati powerhouse, the Sabarmati BRTS stand, Visat Petrol Pump, and both sides of the stretch near City Pulse are in a bad shape.

There are potholes on the 500-m stretch near the powerhouse. Work on the Metro Rail is going on at this stretch and commuters drive through this patch in fear of being injured by loose gravel flying around.


Further down the road, there is a 300-metre stretch opposite the petrol pump near Motera crossroads that has been washed away. The condition of the road near the petrol pump and City Pulse is equally bad.

Brijesh Khatri, a 30-year-old photographer living in Chandkheda, says, "When Trump came here, the road was a dream to ride on. Now, your bones will rattle if you take the road. The administration did so much of work to welcome foreign visitors. However, they force taxpayers to undergo such torture."

When it rains, you have to think twice about taking the road, says Motera resident Dipak Shukla. The 45-year-old who works as a driver says, "It is in such a bad shape that you will develop a backache. Even at a time when people rarely venture out due to coronavirus, there are traffic jams on this road due to its horrible condition."


Harshil Parmar, a 24-year-old resident of Sabarmati, blames the Metro for the bad condition of roads. "The road has been in a terrible state since Metro work began here. The only time it was surfaced was when Trump came here. We thought that we got a good road but it began showing damage in just three months."

Admitting that the road is in a bad condition, Chief General Manager (Corporate Planning) Amit Gupta of Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation says, "Our work is going on at Sabarmati powerhouse and the BRTS stand. So, those stretches are in a bad state. We have started laying RCC along these stretches so that it does not get damaged easily and commuters do not face a problem."

He adds, "The stretches near the petrol pump and City Pulse are damaged. The contractor could be at fault. Since the damage occurred during the guarantee period, the contractor will fix both the roads. Work will begin in a couple of days now that the rains have stopped."