In an attempt to prevent a situation like the Bengaluru floods, IIT Delhi has recently launched a mobile application system called ‘IITD Aab Prahari’ wherein individuals and communities can report real-time flooding in and around their area. This app was a product of a collaboration between IIT Delhi’s Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT) and the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) team who worked on a project called “Water Security Hub” (WSH). This project aims to develop new and innovative approaches that can tackle the challenges of water security, as well as the sustainable development of Delhi, and is funded by the UKRI with the help of the Global Challenges Research Fund.
The IITD Aab Prahari app helps address waterlogging issues in urban areas of the city during monsoons. Even though the current plan is to deploy the app for the National Captial Territory of Delhi, the app is generic enough and can be used in various other geographic settings as well. Individuals will be able to capture waterlogging information and can then upload it to a central server which will help researchers at the Water Security Hub to develop and deploy early warning systems in order to predict floods, and hence the local administration can take a quick action for the same.
AK Gosain, the lead researcher for the UKRI GCRF Project, explained, “The IITD Aab Prahari mobile app uses the citizen science approach, and could change the way communities and governments deal with floods,”
“Jalsuraksha”, a website that serves as a single platform containing all the information related to the research work done by the WSH team at IIT Delhi in order to ensure water security in the city, was also launched at the same time as the mobile application. The website showcases their research products as well as the frameworks that address technical, environmental, and social issues.
