Ahmedabad: For Ahmedabad’s flood-hit vehicle owners, the water has receded, but the trouble has not. Many cannot get their cars and motorcycles into authorised workshops where parking areas are full, and queues for repairs are growing longer. Some owners have been asked to wait a week to 10 days just to get their vehicles accepted. Delayed insurance surveys and shortages of spare parts could extend the total wait to about 25 days.For some, the financial cost is likely to be massive. While car repair bills can run up to several lakh rupees, two-wheeler owners may have to spend up to Rs 40,000 to get their vehicles fixed.
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Around 45 authorised car workshops and more than 150 authorised two-wheeler workshops across the city are dealing with a rush of flood-damaged vehicles.For Pankaj D, a Science City resident, the wait began after his car was stranded near his Prahladnagar office. “There was nearly 3.5ft of water near my office. I had no option but to abandon my car on the road. I brought it back the next day, but the insurance survey is still pending because of the rush,” he said.At an authorised workshop on SP Ring Road, 50 to 55 flood-damaged vehicles had already arrived and many more were waiting, service adviser Nikhil Kalal said. “Most were from Shela, South Bopal, Sindhu Bhavan Road, Prahladnagar, Thaltej and Rajpath Rangoli Road, where roads and residential basements were flooded,” he said.
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Hundreds of vehicles suffered damage to engines, electrical systems, wiring and sensors, according to workshop owners. Once an insurance survey is completed, technicians may need to remove cabin flooring and inspect wiring harnesses and electronic sensors before repairs can begin, said a technician.Car repair estimates start at around Rs 50,000 and can run into several lakh rupees. In cases of extensive damage, an insurer’s settlement may go up to the vehicle’s insured declared value or return-to-invoice amount.Motorcycle owners face shorter but still expensive repairs. Bills range from Rs 5,000 to Rs 40,000. “Cases of flooded engines have risen sharply. Most involved riders who tried to ride their motorcycles through waterlogged roads,” said Ankesh Gupta, service manager at a motorcycle workshop.
Hundreds of vehicles suffered damage to engines, electrical systems, wiring and sensors
The influx of flood-damaged vehicles has left workshops scrambling for space. “We normally service 50 to 60 vehicles a day, but the number of flood-damaged cars is much higher than anticipated. Our additional parking space is full. Until these cars are repaired and moved out, we have to ask customers to return after a week to 10 days,” said Ketan Pandya, manager of an authorised car workshop in Sola.Even after owners secure a workshop slot, delays in insurance surveys can hold up repairs. A shortage of spare parts has added to the waiting period. “If the parts are available, repairs take 3-4 days. Else, customers may have to wait another 10 to 15 days after the insurance survey is completed. Continued rain and poor road conditions have also delayed the transport of spare parts,” said Pranav Shah, chairperson of the Gujarat chapter of the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations.“For car owners, the cost depends on how high the water rose and how long the vehicle remained submerged. Cars flooded up to the seats or above the dashboard often require extensive work,” Shah said. In severe cases, insurers may declare a vehicle a total loss.
