Before the monsoon hits Mumbai this year, the civic body is planning to install sensors in five rivers and two lakes across the city to monitor their levels and warn residents if there are chances of floods in their areas.
The seven long-arm devices, one for each of the seven water bodies, will work on solar power and are expected to cost Rs 70 lakh each. The BMC’s stormwater drain (SWD) department is keen to instal these transmitters before the arrival of rains in June.
Called flow level transmitters, these sensors will give the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation real-time updates of water levels in the Mithi, Dahisar, Vakola, Oshiwara and Poisar rivers, and the Powai and Vihar lakes.
These transmitters will have a sensor, a transmitting system using SIM cards and GPS (global positioning system) and will send a message to the city’s disaster control unit as water level begins to rise, indicating location.
“The data will be sent to the disaster management department, and used to give early warnings to low-lying areas,” said VH Khankar, chief engineer, stormwater drains department.
Khankar said the transmitters were procured from Germany.
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