In Ahmedabad’s Walled City, India’s first UNESCO World Heritage City, at least eight dilapidated houses collapsed within 24 hours as heavy rains battered the area, exposing the fragile condition of centuries-old structures.
Six collapses were reported on Sunday from Shahpur, Raipur, Behrampura, Dariyapur, and Kalupur. By Monday morning, two more houses gave way in Kalupur’s Raja Parsottam ni Khadki.
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) received 32 complaints of dangerous structures in the past day, 19 of them from the Central Zone alone. Officials estimate that 1,500–2,000 buildings across the old city remain unsafe, with monsoon showers further weakening their foundations.
While AMC usually inspects such structures before major events like Rath Yatra, residents allege that routine maintenance and safety checks are often neglected. Some of the crumbling homes are located near culturally significant sites, including the heritage residence of poet Dalpatram, raising fears of damage to Ahmedabad’s architectural legacy.