Gurugram to monitor 181 ponds with AI, drone survey

High-resolution photographs and data on each pond — including its land boundaries, depth, and sources of water inflow — will be recorded and made publicly accessible on the corporation’s website.

In a major step to conserve and manage the city’s natural water bodies, the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has announced that details of all 181 ponds in the city will be uploaded on an online portal and monitored with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) and drone surveys.

Basai pond in Gurugram where encroachments have been seen. (HT)

MCG officials said the survey of all ponds has already been completed, which was started in early September, and a detailed drone mapping exercise will begin later this month. High-resolution photographs and data on each pond — including its land boundaries, depth, and sources of water inflow — will be recorded and made publicly accessible on the corporation’s website.

“This initiative will not only make the data accessible to citizens but will also help the corporation in preparing plans for rejuvenation and conservation. The entire database of ponds will be made available online and their monitoring will be carried out with AI-based alerts,” said Pradeep Dahiya, commissioner, MCG.

Under the proposed system, drones will capture images of ponds from multiple angles. The tool will then track changes to their boundaries and send an instant alert . The AI-powered monitoring system will work by comparing real-time drone imagery and satellite data of Gurugram’s ponds with the baseline digital maps and geo-tagged records already uploaded on the MCG portal.

If any construction, encroachment, or change in the pond’s boundary is detected — for example, a new structure, levelling of land, or reduction in water spread — the algorithm will flag the anomaly. An instant alert will then be sent to the municipal dashboard accessed by engineers and enforcement officers, allowing them to verify the encroachment and initiate action immediately.

Officials believe this will help stop illegal construction or occupation at an early stage.

However, it is not yet clear which as to which specific AI tool or vendor the MCG plans to use.

According to officials, the task is significant because a large portion of Gurugram’s ponds has already been encroached upon. Out of the 181 ponds, 65 have illegal occupation in some form — ranging from religious and community structures to residential plots and commercial establishments. At some sites, even liquor shops, pumping stations and parks have come up on pond land.

In Chakkarpur, a local councillor even set up his office on a pond site. The survey also found instances of colonies such as Harijan Colony in Sarai Alawardi and parts of Feroz Gandhi Colony occupying former ponds.

MCG hopes that the new monitoring system will speed up the process of removing encroachments and reclaiming public land.

Along with tackling encroachments, the civic body is also working on a revival plan for ponds that have dried up or have been flattened over time. These water bodies will be deepened to store rainwater and recharge the city’s falling groundwater levels. Councillors have been asked to submit detailed information about ponds in their respective wards so that local inputs can be included in the rejuvenation drive.

Officials said that these ponds are not only a part of Gurugram’s ecological heritage but also vital to solving recurring civic issues such as urban flooding during monsoons. At present, the city records waterlogging at 153 locations every rainy season, partly because many of the natural drainage routes have disappeared due to encroachment or neglect. Restoring ponds could provide both storage capacity for rainwater and a mechanism to recharge the aquifers that the city relies on. Experts say that Gurugram’s rapid urbanisation has come at the cost of its traditional water systems.

“Bringing technology into monitoring is an important first step,” said a senior MCG official, adding that the challenge will be ensuring regular follow-up action on the alerts generated.

With the AI and drone system in place, MCG officials hope that Gurugram can set an example for other urban centres struggling with disappearing water bodies and groundwater depletion.