Patna: What if a waterlogged road in Patna could be reported to the administration almost as soon as it becomes a problem? A new mobile application, ‘Aab Prahari’, is seeking to make that possible by turning citizens into a real-time network for monitoring urban flooding.
Introduced by Patna Smart City Limited, the app allows residents to report waterlogging by uploading photographs and sharing the location from a safe spot during rainfall.
The information is intended to give authorities a quicker picture of conditions on the ground and help them determine where immediate intervention is required.
Photos, locations to help authorities track flooding
Reports submitted through Aab Prahari will record the location and time alongside the photographs.
This will allow the administration to identify areas where water has accumulated, determine which roads and routes are affected and prioritise the deployment of available resources.
The system is particularly intended to help identify locations where waterlogging is disrupting traffic, trapping vehicles, submerging roads or creating risks to public safety.
Multiple agencies can use the information
The data collected through the app is expected to improve coordination among agencies involved in managing waterlogging.
The Patna Municipal Corporation can use reports to prioritise pumping, drain cleaning and relief operations in affected areas.
Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation (BUIDCo) can use the ground-level information while managing drainage and pumping systems.
Traffic police can also receive information about submerged or severely waterlogged roads, helping them plan diversions and alternative routes.
Building a map of Patna’s waterlogging hotspots
The app’s usefulness is not limited to responding to individual incidents. Data collected from different locations and across multiple rainy days could help authorities identify recurring waterlogging hotspots.
If a particular location repeatedly gets flooded after rainfall or takes unusually long to drain, the accumulated data could assist in planning future drainage systems, pumping infrastructure and other permanent interventions.
Citizens urged to report from safe locations
Patna Smart City Limited has appealed to residents to participate by downloading the app and reporting waterlogging they encounter during rainfall.
Users are advised to take a clear photograph from a safe location and submit it through the app, ensuring that the correct location is marked.
Reports are particularly sought from:
- Areas that repeatedly experience waterlogging after rain
- Locations where accumulated water disrupts movement or commuting
- Places where water takes unusually long to drain
- Roads where waterlogging affects traffic flow
- Locations where accumulated water poses a public-safety risk
The system has been integrated into Patna’s urban flood-management efforts and was developed with technical support from IIT Delhi.
Aab Prahari is currently available on the Google Play Store-https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.iitdap.abbprahari&pcampaignid=web_share, with an iOS version expected to be made available soon.
