Every monsoon, India’s metro cities — Delhi, Mumbai, Gurgaon, and others drown in chaos. Roads turn into rivers, commuters get stranded, and social media fills with images of waterlogged streets. But should nature alone take the blame? Of course not.
A little more than average rainfall shouldn’t paralyze cities that claim to be 'global hubs'. How is it that India can send missions to space, build a booming digital economy, and achieve AI breakthroughs, yet cannot design drainage systems that withstand a few hours of heavy rain?
 |
| AI-generated image |
The following are the main reasons:
1. Unplanned Urban Growth
Indian cities are expanding without foresight. Haphazard infrastructure, illegal constructions, and unchecked real estate projects choke natural drainage. Instead of sustainable planning, we see concrete jungles built on floodplains and wetlands.
2. Broken Drainage Systems
Most drainage networks in Indian cities are decades old and grossly inadequate. Drainage desilting projects are announced every year, but are rarely completed on time. Without systematic upgrades, even a short downpour creates flood-like conditions.
3. Civic Apathy and Negligence
Why does de-silting always remain incomplete before the monsoon strikes? Why do pumping stations fail exactly when they’re needed? The answer lies in civic apathy and lack of accountability. Citizens pay taxes, but authorities deliver excuses most of the time.
4. Climate Change and Extreme Rainfall
Climate change is making rainfall more intense and unpredictable. Indian cities are experiencing short but intense bursts of torrential rain that overwhelm fragile infrastructure. But blaming the weather alone has mostly been an escape route for governance failure, and shouldn't be entertained.
5. Rapid Industrialization and Urbanization
Catchment areas, wetlands, and natural flood buffers are disappearing due to unregulated industrialization. High-rise buildings and concrete roads appear overnight, but stormwater management receives little attention.
What Needs to Change?
Urban flooding in Indian metro cities is not a 'natural disaster'. It is the direct outcome of poor planning, weak governance, and neglect of basic urban infrastructure.
a. To reduce the misery, we need:
b. Accountable local governments that finish desilting and drainage works on time.
c. Urban planning with climate resilience at its core.
d. Strict regulation of construction on wetlands and floodplains.
e. Public pressure and citizen awareness to demand results.
Nature will always test us. But citizens deserve cities that don’t collapse at the first drop of rain. Until then, monsoon will remain less of a blessing and more of an annual nightmare for urban India.