Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has joined hands with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to launch a project called ‘Water Security Hub’. The project aims to develop new approaches to tackle the challenges and constraints for water security and sustainable development in the National Capital Region (NCR) of Delhi. The project has also launched a mobile application named “IITD Aab Prahari” to address the issues of waterlogging in urban areas during monsoon.
In the ‘IITD Aab Prahari’ mobile application system, communities and individuals are facilitated to report real-time incidents of floods in and around themselves, by capturing waterlogging information and uploading it to a central server.
It aims to help the local administration so that it can take prompt action to mitigate the flood situation. The information provided by the citizens will help the researchers at Water Security Hub in effective development and deployment of an early warning system to predict urban floods through validation of their models.
Professor Gosain, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Delhi, and lead researcher of the UKRI GCRF Project, said, – The IITD Aab Prahari mobile application uses a citizen science approach. This mobile app could change the way communities and governments deal with floods.
Professor R. Banerjee, Director, IIT Delhi; A. Kundra, IAS, Principal Secretary, Irrigation and Flood Control Department (I&FC), Delhi Government and other senior personnel were present on the occasion.
The website interactively displays the IIT Delhi toolbox and research products through a GIS-based framework for decision support systems.
A website named “Jal Suraksha” was also launched on the occasion. This website acts as a single platform with all the information related to the research work done by the Water Security Hub team at IIT Delhi to ensure water security in the National Capital Territory of Delhi. These frameworks address technical, environmental, and social issues and support policy making.
The Principal Investigator of the Hub at the Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Delhi and IIT Delhi explained, – Through this project, we are engaged in the creation of systems framework for planning, monitoring and evaluation in collaboration with Hub and other relevant stakeholders. water resources using an integrated approach.
