Is Thane ready for the next flood? The 2024 Flood Risk Management Report says NO. It's an eye-opener: peak flood discharge for Thane city demands 16.77 to 23.95 cumecs per sq km, while our current storm drain capacity is a mere 16.37 cumecs per sq km! This leaves Majiwada-Manpada at "Very High Risk" and Diva & Naupada at "High Risk."
The numbers don't lie, and the memory doesn't fade: On July 26th, 2005, Thane was hit by an unprecedented 944 mm of rainfall in a single day, leading to widespread chaos, loss of life, and massive economic damage. And the warning signs keep flashing – with significant floods in 2014, 2019, and 2023. We simply cannot afford to ignore this escalating challenge. Thane City has a new plan, put together by the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) and a group called CEEW, to deal with floods. The main goal is to make Thane a "flood-resilient smart city," meaning it can handle heavy rains and floods much better, protecting lives and property.
Why This Plan Now?
Thane, like many cities, is growing fast. More buildings and paved areas mean less ground for rainwater to soak into. This causes quicker and more intense floods. Remember the big floods in 2005? That showed how serious urban flooding can be and why we need special plans. This new plan follows national guidelines to make sure Thane is ready. Thane is important for Maharashtra's economy, so keeping it safe from floods is crucial for everyone living and working here.
How Was the Plan Made?
Experts looked at a lot of information. They checked rainfall records from 1970 to 2021 to understand how much rain Thane gets and when. They figured out how much water flows during heavy rains (peak flow). They used satellite pictures to map areas that got flooded. They created a "risk index" for different parts of the city to see which areas are most vulnerable.
What Did They Find?
Thane city has a tropical monsoon climate with the average annual rainfall being 2000–2500 mm. The peak flow discharge was estimated for the entire Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) area. The peak flow discharge required for Thane city works out to 16.77 cumecs to 23.95 cumecs per sq km. The current design capacity of stormwater drains in Thane is approximately 16.37 cumecs per sq km.
The areas identified as being more susceptible to floods are those falling under the high and very high-risk categories:
Very High Risk: Majiwada-Manpada Prabhag Samitee.
High Risk: Diva and Naupada Prabhag Samitees.
Other Prabhag Samitees were categorized as follows:
Medium Risk: Kalwa, Wagle, and Uthalsar.
Low Risk: Lokmanya-Sawarkar Nagar and Mumbra.
Very Low Risk: Vartak Nagar.
This risk profiling at the Prabhag Samitee level is intended to help the Thane Municipal Corporation prioritize interventions and identify the necessary actions for managing floods in these areas.
What makes an area risky?
High risk areas have more waterlogging and larger flooded areas. Common reasons behind it include, more people, steeper slopes, and more built-up areas, not enough stormwater or sewage coverage. High vulnerability areas are, close to creeks, more low-income households, people with special needs, and 'kaccha' (temporary) houses. Also, less access to water, medical care, and poor warning systems.What's the Plan to Fix Things?
The plan is divided into different phases:
Before Monsoon (December - May): Getting Ready
Short-term (next 0-2 years): Install automatic weather stations in high-risk areas to get better rain data. Clean drains (nullahs) completely by March 31 every year. Form local volunteer groups to help. Map out risky areas in more detail. Start tracking how much damage floods cause to understand the impact better.
Medium-term (next 3-5 years): Install early warning systems near drains in problem spots. Turn the existing control center into a flood management hub for monitoring and sending alerts. Map the entire drainage system and separate stormwater from sewage lines. Design new drainage systems that can handle more water. Fix old infrastructure. Use natural solutions like rain gardens, porous pavements, and ponds to manage water. Identify vulnerable populations and explore insurance options. Train staff and use social media to spread flood alerts.
Long-term (over 5 years): Completely separate stormwater and sewage systems, focusing on high-risk areas first. Flood-proof important places like bus stops, metro stations, and railway stations.
During and After Monsoon (June - November): Responding and Recovering
A central Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) will coordinate all departments (like disaster management, public health, police, fire, etc.) during floods. Everyone has a clear role: from sending early warnings and rescuing people to providing relief materials, repairing damage, and restoring services like power and communication.
What's Next?
The plan also suggests some important future steps: Consider how climate change might affect rainfall in the future. Make sure this plan works with other city plans, especially with Thane growing so fast. Keep a list of important buildings (hospitals, schools) in flood-prone areas to protect them. Improve waste management so garbage doesn't block drains. Figure out how to pay for all these improvements and find funding.
In short, Thane's flood action plan is a thorough guide to make our city much safer from floods by understanding the risks, preparing well, responding effectively, and planning for a more resilient future.
Now, the key question is how diligently the city will implement this plan!
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