To measure waterlogging levels across the city, the BMC has started installing flood gauges with sensors at 100 locations at Rs 2.32 crore price tag. In the first phase, the instrument has been installed at 25 flooding spots. These sophisticated gauges will send alerts to the civic body's storm water drain (SWD) as well as the disaster management cell from next week.
The installation of flood gauges at 75 spots is underway. It would help the civic authorities to plan and tackle flooding in the specific area more effectively, said the civic officials.
The BMC has identified 386 flooding spots across the city and various works have been completed to tackle 312 spots. The work required for eight spots is in the planning stage, while the work on 33 spots will be tackled till the next monsoon.
Currently, to tackle waterlogging, 487 dewatering pumps have been installed across the city, water holding tanks are constructed at Hindmata and Milan Subway while the capacity of the storm water drain has been increased. However, there is no mechanism to understand the level of floods in the city.
“Internet-based auto-activated rain waterlogging level detectors with a remote reading capability system (flood gauge) will provide us data on the level of waterlogging in the area, the time taken for the water to recede, and the amount of rainfall in that particular area with time. According to that data, we will study the reason for waterlogging and try to find a permanent solution,” said the official from the SWD department.
Once rainwater gets accumulated in that particular area, the flood gauges installed there will send alerts after every 15 minutes to the officials concerned on their mobile phones. Also, the BMC dashboard will be updated in real-time. “We had plans to install this instrument at 300 locations but currently we will be installing flood gauges at 100 locations by September end. The estimated cost of the project is around Rs 2.32 crore and an Indian company is appointed to install and maintain it for three years,” the official added.
According to the sensor data, the BMC will study the reason for waterlogging and try to find a permanent solution.
