Storms Ahead, Plans Afoot

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As the monsoon season approaches, cities across India are stepping up their preparedness - from drain clean-ups to emergency drills. While efforts focus on avoiding waterlogging and ensuring safety, experts suggest a shift towards more sustainable, climate-resilient planning. Can cities move beyond infrastructure fixes to embrace holistic solutions that address both immediate and long-term challenges?

Ahead of the monsoon this year, which is likely to hit in the first week of June, many cities are getting prepared to deal with it. Much of the preparation is to avoid waterlogging issues.

Lucknow’s divisional commissioner has directed the civic agencies to repair roads, clean drains and remove electric poles from roads to prevent waterlogging. They have also been asked to check and fix water accumulation in the basement of shops. Pune MC is digging trenches and wells at the foothills to avoid waterlogging. The civic body has also provided a helpline number for citizens to share photographs and locations of damaged stormwater drains in their areas.

Gurugram’s development authority is carrying out drills at all the underpasses to test the drainage system and check the efficacy of pumps in preventing water accumulation. Last year, these drills were conducted for the first time and proved to be helpful as the underpasses remained largely unaffected. Thane MC is evacuating people living in dilapidated buildings to ensure safety during the rainy season. Pimpri-Chinchwad MC has also sent notices to the owners of such buildings, urging them to repair these structures.

The Telangana government is planning to implement a comprehensive monsoon safety action plan for cities across the state, including the creation of emergency squads. To ensure effective implementation, cities are planning to impose stricter regulations on the officials. Mysore DC has warned of lodging FIRs against officials who fail to discharge their duties.

However, the current practice of planning for monsoon preparedness is largely based on an infrastructure improvement approach.

Cities need to shift their focus toward more holistic planning that includes sustainable water management, community participation, and climate resilience. This approach ensures a comprehensive and balanced response to monsoon challenges, safeguarding both the residents’ well-being and the long-term sustainability of their urban environments.

What is your city doing to prepare for the monsoon?