Why do our cities get flooded as soon as monsoon arrives? Who is responsible for waterlogging, know what is the way forward

Author: KK Pandey

Monsoons arrived in Delhi yesterday, and with it came waterlogging, traffic jams and disruption of normal life. This happens every year and in every major city in India. Why does this happen? Because our approach to the problem is not right. Every year, we deal with it after the city comes to a standstill. Issues like regular repairs, replacing drainage/sewage systems, keeping public spaces (roads, streets, pavements) free of encroachments are pushed back when there is still time for planning and management. India’s urban population of 416 million (2019) will reach 461 million by 2047. This means that without timely and concerted action from all stakeholders, the problem will only get worse in the years to come.

What is the reason for this chaos?

The problem of waterlogging in our cities is due to unplanned urbanisation. Here, unplanned urban areas are expanded without taking into account space for planned circulation. The drying up and destruction of lakes, ponds and water bodies due to dumping of construction and demolition waste is also a major cause. Apart from this, construction of houses and people starting to live in areas occupied by lakes and other water bodies is also an issue. For example, half of the 519 water bodies in Gurugram have disappeared in 40 years. The story is similar for Bengaluru.

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Who is responsible for it?

Water management is the responsibility of three stakeholders: planning agencies, urban local bodies and specialised agencies for water and sewage. The three rarely work together, and jurisdictional issues frustrate their efforts. While solid waste falls under the purview of urban local bodies, water and sewage often do not. This scattered planning does not allow for holistic management of vast urban spaces like the NCR. You cannot tackle water issues, sewage or drains by working in silos, represented by urban bodies like the NDMC and MCD or satellite cities like Gurugram and Noida.

Town planners play a vital role in how urban systems are run, but we don’t have one per lakh population. Compare this with 38 in the UK and 23 in Australia. Even in our larger cities, this number is far below the norm for modern global cities. If planning is poor, implementation is even worse. It is common for our cities to have no water drains. Most Indian cities do not even have a dedicated drainage scheme. One spell of heavy rain is enough to disrupt the flow of existing drains and cause waterlogging. What makes matters worse is the solid waste that municipal bodies fail to collect. This waste clogs the drains in our cities.

Why does the problem of waterlogging occur?

Urban planning is about predicting the future. Even with advance planning, things move so slowly that by the time action is taken, the plan fails. For example, the last time Delhi’s master plan was notified was after 8 to 10 years of preparation. While the 2041 one was prepared on time, it has been in the process for the last four years. However, citizens of every income grade are equally responsible for the problem of waterlogging. Isn’t it common to see educated people in high and middle income group colonies illegally occupying the footpaths outside their homes? Or parking their vehicles on the roads, leaving little space for traffic movement? If we look at the condition of lower-income areas, they are completely congested, leaving little space for circulation.

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What’s the way forward?

First, there is a need for a complete rethink on how plans are implemented. For example, MPD-2041 provides for blue-green development and the use of slopes for waste segregation. This must be strictly implemented. Second, we must prepare proper drainage plans, or reconsider them if they have proved inadequate. Take the case of waterlogging at ITO in Delhi. This can be solved by a detailed restructuring of the sewage network, linking it with the water table of the Yamuna. Third, water and sanitation plans should be prepared in accordance with the 15th Finance Commission Devolution Package for 44 urban agglomerations covering 1115 urban local bodies. Fourth, safety audits of roads/lanes and footpaths should be conducted regularly. Such audits identify actions needed to clear space for the movement of water, goods and people, particularly illegal encroachments and barriers.

Fifth, authorities need to engage with communities to remove encroachments from pavements and roads, and also clear spaces occupied by government departments for their own use. Sixth, agencies handling water and sanitation should be made accountable to the ULBs. Most importantly, the ULBs should have extensive authority over all agencies responsible for urban maintenance. Finally, there should be regular maintenance of drainage and sewage networks to minimise the chances of an unforeseen event derailing urban life.

(The author is Professor, Indian Institute of Public Administration. Views are personal)