The commercial complex that has been submerged by torrential rains and floodwater under Surat’s Poddar Arcade, one of the city's largest mobile phone and electronics markets, remains waterlogged. Traders estimate losses of ₹100 crore to ₹150 crore and accuse local authorities of failing to act, with several businesses at the commercial complex experiencing a delayed response to the situation as a result of torrential rain.
The flooding began suddenly on Tuesday afternoon after heavy rains hit the city, the shopkeepers said. In just 30 minutes, water flooded into the arcade, filling the bottom floor and almost half of the first floor.
The sudden surge left traders with little time to react.
"We didn’t even get time to shut our shops. We had to leave everything behind and run to save ourselves,” one trader said of the chaos as shopkeepers ran to safety and expensive electronic goods were trapped in flooded stores.
Traders Blame Metro Construction
Several traders said that ongoing Metro construction near the market and road construction around the market was the main reason for the flooding.
According to them, barricades erected on both sides of the road blocked the natural flow of rainwater. Instead of being drained into the city's stormwater system, the water was said to be in Poddar Arcade’s basement and flooding the market quickly.
They said that the basement lacked an adequate drainage system to handle such a high volume of water.
Dewatering Efforts Hit by Equipment Failure
Shopkeepers also criticised the dewatering arrangements, saying only one motor pump was operated at the time to remove the water.
But given the continuous inflow of water, the pump apparently stopped working, making the flooding worse.
Traders on Wednesday alleged that the Surat Municipal Corporation and the Fire Department only sent two pumps, one of which was reported to have also malfunctioned. With water still inside parts of the market, traders then arranged a third pump privately to speed up the dewatering process.
Electronics Worth Crores Damaged
Poddar Arcade is one of Surat's biggest wholesale and retail hubs for mobile phones, electronic gadgets and accessories.
Traders said thousands of mobile phones, electronic devices and related accessories were damaged after water entered stores and storage areas.
They estimated that each affected shop suffered losses of ₹30 lakh to ₹50 lakh. Based on these estimates, the total financial damage is believed to be between ₹100 crore and ₹150 crore.
Demand for Compensation and Inquiry
Traders were angry over the incident and upset that the Surat Municipal Corporation failed to respond promptly despite repeated calls for help.
They have asked for immediate financial relief, compensation for the losses and an investigation into the purported drainage failure. Traders also want to know if Metro construction and road barricades contributed to the flooding.
Even after more than a day with water still not drained from parts of the market, business owners fear the losses could rise further as damaged electronic goods and infrastructure are assessed.
