Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is planning to install sensors in the rivers and two lakes across the city to monitor their levels and warn citizens and residents of the respective areas should there arise any chances of flood. The civic body has planned to introduce the sensors before monsoon strikes in the city.
Termed as flow level transmitters, these sensors will have real-time updates of water levels which will enable the civic body to keep a check on the Mithi, Oshiwara, Dahisar and Poisar rivers. The sensors will be placed in Powai and Vihar lakes as well. “The data of the sensors will be sent to the disaster management department. It will also be helpful since the civic body can then give early evacuation warnings to low-lying areas and save up on destruction which unfortunately was caused last year,” said V H Khankar, chief engineer, storm water drains (SWD) department.
Khankar added that the transmitters were procured from Germany and also hope to install and make use of all seven this monsoon. Currently, the Mithi river boasts of an instrument which was installed in 2007 but it does not transmit data to the disaster management department.
The BMC hopes that with sensors giving real-time updates on the water levels, it can prevent flooding and destruction to homes, as had taken place last year. An overflowing Dahisar river affected many homes of people living nearby in August 2017. “As of now, the BMC does not have a mechanism to check if river levels are rising. Neither can we issue evacuation warnings due to the same reason. With these transmitters, the data will be directly communicated to the disaster management department post which necessary action can be taken immediately,” said another civic official on anonymity.