Bombay HC anger prompts BMC to clear second Doppler radar site

The court slammed the civic body for its “lethargic” approach after the 2005 deluge

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday passed a proposal to provide space at the Veravali water supply reservoir in Andheri to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) to set up a second Doppler radar.

A doppler radar provides long-range weather detection and surveillance. (Pic for Representation)

The proposal was passed at the improvements committee meeting days after the Bombay high court slammed the corporation for its “lethargic” approach in finalising a site for the second Doppler radar, used in meteorology, for the city.

According to the proposal, the 30X30 metre space will be provided to IMD on a lease with a one-time payment of Rs 2.23 crore. After this, IMD will have to pay Rs 900 per year for the next 30 years. The proposal states the HC had asked the civic body on September 1 to finalise the site in the next 10 weeks.

The first Doppler radar was installed atop a building in Colaba. The proposal also states that IMD required a location where the radar would not have high-rise buildings in the vicinity.

A Doppler radar emits microwaves that monitor moving weather systems and help weathermen analyse conditions to provide timely warnings against turbulent thunderstorms or cyclones. KS Hoslikar, deputy director general at IMD, said, “The second radar will complement the first one as the city cannot depend on just one radar in case of severe weather conditions. The functionalities of both will be similar.”

On Wednesday, civic commissioner Ajoy Mehta was summoned by HC for failing to comply with an earlier court order and finalize the site. The judges wondered as to how the civic chief could have neglected the issue in a city like Mumbai, which has suffered its worst deluge in 2005, resulting in the loss of many lives and property worth crores of rupees.

A senior civic official said, “Even if the site has been finalised, the civic body has to follow the process of presenting the proposal to the improvements committee, followed by the corporation. The process takes time.”

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HC summons BMC chief for delay in Doppler site selection