The NCT of Delhi faces an escalating impact of climate change exacerbated by the issue of rapid urbanization that leads to urban flooding and water logging situations during monsoon. Low-lying and densely populated areas suffer from severe waterlogging and infrastructure damage issues amid the heavy rainfall.

To handle this issue via a data-driven approach, the Water Security and Sustainable Development Hub at IIT Delhi’s Civil Engineering Department devel­­oped a pioneering mobile application called “IITD Aab Prahari (आब प्रहरी)”. The Aab Prahari app utilize­s a citizen science approach that enables residents to report real-time flooding incidents in and around their location. The app is designed to empower citizens to contribute and participate in flood management.

Read also: Vehicles Submerged And Roads Flooded; Heavy Rainfall Cause Ruckus In Delhi.

The app is available on the Google Play Store and allows users to send photos and measurements of flood depths at specific locations, which are automatically geo-tagged and sent to a central server.

It was experimentally launched in August 2022 and it was officially released in September 2022. It has facilitated the collection of detailed, geo-tagged information on flood events. This crowdsourced data collected on the central server since 2022, was instrumental in calibrating and validating IIT Delhi’s urban flood model in 2023. An urban flood early warning system for the Barapullah basin based on this flood model is already in place and can be accessed through – jalsuraksha.iitd.ac.in.

“One of the Aab Prahari app’s key strengths is its ability to engage citizens in flood management. By democratizing data collection, the app empowers individuals to play an active role in protecting their communities,” said Dr. Dhanya CT, project PI and Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Delhi.

“Collaboration and dialogue with these departments are initiated to demonstrate the app’s reliability and utility. IIT Delhi has implemented robust data validation and cross-referenced crowdsourced information with hydraulic models to build trust in the app’s data accuracy,” Prof. Dhanya CT added.

How the app works?

Through the recently launched application, the citizens inform water managers and researchers regarding the ground realities of flood events and work as the bridging element in the data gathering and data processing. In areas where scent number of weather stations are situated, the information provided by the citizens via the Aab Prahari mobile application will provide vital data to take effective responses. The app enhances the authority’s ability to anticipate and mitigate the impacts of flooding which leads to better preparedness.

Practical applications of the app

The Aab Prahari app is adaptable, capable of being used in any geographical location, and customizable to the specific needs of relevant government departments. For instance, the Public Works Department (PWD), Irrigation & Flood Control (I&FC), and Traffic Police can each benefit from the app in the following ways:

PWD can integrate the app’s data to identify and prioritize areas or hotspots that require immediate drainage infrastructure improvements in the short term, as well as plan for long-term solutions.

I&FC can use real-time alerts and GIS mapping to monitor flood incidents, facilitating more efficient deployment of pumps and other resources.

Traffic police can access up-to-date flood reports to manage road closures and traffic diversions more effectively, ensuring public safety during severe flood events.

The Aab Prahari app significantly advances urban flood management by leveraging technology and community participation. It enhances flood response strategies, making the city more resilient and prepared. As government departments integrate this innovative tool, the potential to reduce urban flooding impacts in Delhi increases. This mobile application can be implemented in any region with similar conditions.