KDMC installs ten flood sensors in Kalyan and Dombivli ahead of monsoon

With the help of flood sensors, an alert will be sent to the KDMC control room, allowing the civic body's disaster management team to take appropriate action.

Following heavy floods in different parts of the twin cities of Kalyan-Dombivli during the previous monsoons, the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) this year installed flood sensors at ten-prone locations for flooding, officials stated on Thursday.

With the help of these flood sensors, an alert will be sent to the KDMC control room, allowing the civic body's disaster management team to take appropriate action and relocate people living in such areas.

"We experienced major flooding in various parts of the city between 2019 and 2021, necessitating the installation of a warning system. These sensors will work quickly and provide timely alerts. Previously, ward-level officers would monitor such flood-prone areas and notify residents. These sensors will work before flooding and send an alert based on the water level," stated an officer of Smart Kalyan Dombivli Corporation Limited. 

Due to flooding last July, Kalyan residents were rescued from Suyognagar and Shastrinagar chawls in Titwala. Residents from the villages of Varap, Shahad, Kamba, and Mharal sought refuge in a nearby school. 25 villagers trapped in their homes in Kamba village were rescued by providing life jackets and tyres. The Raita bridge connecting the Kalyan–Murbad road was closed due to flooding, and 80 families living near the mosque in Balyani, Kalyan (West) were relocated to a nearby school. Waterlogging forced the closure of the Mohili pumping station in Kalyan, which cut off the water supply to several parts of the city.

"The sensors will continue to monitor the river's water level. As the water level rises, a regular alert will be sent to the smart city control room. The smart display board will also show water level information. Information will be disseminated via loudspeaker announcements at 28 different locations," the officer concluded.