Bhopal News: ₹2.4k-Crore Scheme For Flood Management In 11 Cities Cleared; Wetlands, Artificial Ponds Can Mitigate Flood Risk In Urban Areas

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Professor of water resource engineering, department of civil engineering, IIT Mumbai, Kapil Gupta has said that the HLC has recently approved Phase-II of the Urban Flood Risk Management Programme (UFRMP) for 11 cities.

The flood management programme with a total financial outlay of Rs 2,444.42 crore from the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF) will be implemented in Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Jaipur, Kanpur, Patna, Raipur, Thiruvananthapuram, Visakhapatnam, Indore, and Lucknow.

Gupta, who serves as a member of the Technical Advisory Committee under the High-Level Committee (HLC) chaired by the Union Home Minister was speaking at the 10th Mahesh Buch Memorial Lecture on the theme “Strategies for Urban Flood Mitigation in a Changing Climate” in the city on Sunday.

He advocated for the preparation of rapid flood risk assessments and disaster risk management master plans. He stressed the need for systems that enhance rainwater infiltration, such as infiltration trenches, porous pavements, and rooftop rainwater harvesting. He suggested that playgrounds could be designed as temporary underground water storage areas to reduce flooding during heavy rainfall.

The professor explained the major causes of flooding in urban areas, emphasizing that unplanned urban development leads to an increase in impervious surfaces, changes in drainage slope, and higher surface runoff. He observed that extreme rainfall events are now becoming more frequent, with monthly rainfall often occurring within a single day.

Referring to the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) findings, Gupta noted that heavy precipitation events are likely to become more frequent and intense worldwide. Rising temperatures will increase both the frequency and magnitude of pluvial floods - surface water and flash floods caused when rainfall exceeds the capacity of natural and man-made drainage systems.

He identified key challenges in urban flood management, such as outdated and undersized sewer systems, lack of space for upgrades, and high costs. Highlighting the importance of wetlands in mitigating floods, Gupta showcased examples of artificial detention ponds used in Japan and underground water storage systems employed in Hong Kong, Milan, and Mumbai (Dadar).

[Story by Staff Reporter]