When Changodar — an emerging industrial hub near Bavla — was chosen for a 32-acre mega plant expansion, it marked a bold and strategic step forward for Transformers & Rectifiers Ltd.
What appeared promising on paper soon revealed a significant on-ground challenge.
The site, located within the Kerela GIDC belt, had clay-dominant soil with very low permeability — meaning water could neither percolate nor drain out naturally.
During monsoons, rainwater accumulated and remained on site for months, keeping the ground continuously saturated. The issue was not the volume of rainfall, but the ground’s inability to absorb or release water.
This created direct challenges for civil construction:
As a result, foundation execution and further construction became unfeasible until the water was managed effectively.
The mandate wasn’t simple water disposal. Client required a solution that would:
This is where Sujalaam Sustainability LLP stepped in.
Instead of treating water as a problem, the approach reframed it as a resource to be managed.
A focused site assessment evaluated soil behavior, subsurface strata, runoff patterns, and groundwater recharge feasibility, to be supported by downhole electro-logging and sieve analysis to accurately identify aquifer zones and permeability.
A pilot recharge well was drilled up to 186 meters, followed by electro-logging and sieve analysis to understand subsurface conditions.
The analysis revealed that beyond 135 meters, permeability reduced significantly. Rather than over-designing, the system was optimized:
At Changodar, the response was not to work around them — but to work with them, scientifically. Once operational, the system enabled TR to:
The impact was immediate and measurable:
This was not just a drainage solution. It reflected a shift in approach:
The system continues to function, contributing to groundwater recharge and long-term site sustainability.
