A nine-year-old girl remains missing after reportedly falling into an open drainage line on Ahmedabad’s Vishala-Piplaj Road, with fire and emergency teams continuing a search more than 15 hours after the incident, according to a report by Sandesh.
The girl is believed to have been swept into the drainage system by a strong flow of water. The report said the drain is located along the main road connecting Vishala and Piplaj, and that the search operation began after authorities were informed of the incident.
Ahmedabad Fire and Emergency Services teams have been searching at three locations, including stretches of the Sabarmati riverbed and major drainage outlets. Boats and searchlights are being used as part of the operation, the report said. No information about the girl’s whereabouts had emerged by the time of publication.
The drainage line’s water flow was described as intense, raising the possibility that the girl may have been carried through a large pipeline towards the Sabarmati. Search teams are therefore examining points where the drainage network connects with outlets and the river system.
The incident has also drawn attention to the safety of open drainage infrastructure on a major urban road. Residents and citizens cited in the report questioned why a large drainage line on a public route was left without a cover. They also asked whether warning signs and safety barricades had been installed if any work was being carried out at the location.
The report described strong anger among local residents over the condition of the drainage line and the absence of visible protective measures. Residents have demanded action against officials they believe may be responsible for the safety arrangements at the site. These allegations have not been independently established in the supplied report.
The incident highlights the immediate risks posed when high-flow drainage channels intersect with public roads and pedestrian movement. In such locations, physical covers, barricading, warning signs and controlled access are the basic safeguards that separate an urban utility corridor from an open public hazard. The available report does not establish when the drainage line was opened, whether maintenance work was under way or which agency was responsible for securing it.
The search operation remains focused on the drainage outlets and the Sabarmati riverbed. Fire and emergency personnel are continuing the search using boats and searchlights, while the family awaits information about the child.
