Mumbai civic body to use sensors to watch river levels and prevent flooding

Called flow level transmitters, these sensors will give real-time updates of water levels in Mithi, Dahisar, Vakola, Oshiwara and Poisar rivers, and Powai and Vihar lakes.

Before the monsoon hits Mumbai this year, the civic body is planning to install sensors in five rivers and two lakes across the city to monitor their levels and warn residents if there are chances of floods in their areas.

Low-lying areas around the Mithi river are prone to flooding every monsoon. (Praful Gangurde)

Called flow level transmitters, these sensors will give the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation real-time updates of water levels in the Mithi, Dahisar, Vakola, Oshiwara and Poisar rivers, and the Powai and Vihar lakes.

“The data will be sent to the disaster management department, and used to give early warnings to low-lying areas,” said VH Khankar, chief engineer, storm water drains department.

Khankar said the transmitters were procured from Germany. We are hoping to install and make use of all seven this monsoon,” said .

At present, the Mithi river has an instrument — installed in 2007 according to the Chitale committee report suggestions — but this does not transmit data to the disaster management department.

The BMC hopes that with sensors giving it real-time updates on the water levels, it can prevent flooding and destruction to homes, as had taken place in August last year, when an overflowing Dahisar river affected the homes of people living nearby.

“We currently do not have a mechanism to check if river levels are rising and if evacuation warnings are necessary. With these transmitters, the data will be directly communicated to the disaster management department, which can then warn and clear areas,” said a senior civic official.