Making Cities Safe against the Curse of Urban Flooding-

Making Cities Safe against the Curse of Urban Flooding
• Jit Kumar Gupta
• [email protected]

Abstract; Led by uncontrolled migration, ever increasing urabanisation, unplanned urban growth, increased fossil fuel driven mechanical mobility, destroying existing flora& fauna, marginalizing nature, rapidly changing climate and obsolete draining systems, globally cities are becoming increasingly unsafe, under the ever increasing threat and challenges posed by repeated incidences of urban flooding. Floods are known to play havoc with human living, adversely impacting cities, physically, socially, economically and environmentally. Floods are known to destroy and damage essential urban infrastructures besides marginalizing, built environment, flora and fauna. Causing enormous loss of human and animal life, damaging built environment, disrupting critical services, and derailing human living, economy and employment at local level, underscores the criticality and urgency of perpetually managing the urban flooding. Considered as elixir of life, in this era of climate change and global warming, water has emerged as the greatest threat and challenge to the sustainability of urban settlements and human living. Looking at the challenges posed by the urban flooding ,there is an urgent need to study the causes, outline impacts, and define potential mitigation strategies to minimise and eliminate the menace of flooding from urban areas. Considering the need and importance of making cities safe against the natural and manmade disasters perpetuated by flooding, paper tries to examine the role , relevance and importance of rationalizing urban planning , carrying out development based on site suitability analysis, using options of retaining rather than draining water, rationalizing urbanisation and adopting nature based solutions besides involving communities to make cities safe against flooding,
Keywords; Urban flooding, Urbanisation, urban planning, nature based solutions

1. Image; Climate, health and well beings in communities
Source; Fifth(NCA), National Capital Report-Assessment & Analysis
Making Cities Safe against the Curse of Urban Flooding
Urban flooding is a widespread and costly issue when compared with
major disasters like hurricanes, severe storms and flash flooding. While
these hazardous events capture headlines and prompt large-scale
response, urban flooding remains marginalised and often under-
recognized . There is an urgent need for innovative solutions to mitigate
the growing risks associated with urban flooding, to safeguard lives and
property from future flood events.
Joshua Brownfeld
Urban Flooding: Causes, Impacts and Mitigation Strategies
––

2. Making Cities Safe against the Curse of Urban
Flooding
Jit Kumar Gupta
[email protected]
Abstract; Led by uncontrolled migration, ever increasing urabanisation,
unplanned urban growth, increased fossil fuel driven mechanical mobility,
destroying existing flora& fauna, marginalizing nature, rapidly changing climate
and obsolete draining systems, globally cities are becoming increasingly unsafe,
under the ever increasing threat and challenges posed by repeated incidences
of urban flooding. Floods are known to play havoc with human living, adversely
impacting cities, physically, socially, economically and environmentally. Floods
are known to destroy and damage essential urban infrastructures besides
marginalizing, built environment, flora and fauna. Causing enormous loss of
human and animal life, damaging built environment, disrupting critical services,
and derailing human living, economy and employment at local level,
underscores the criticality and urgency of perpetually managing the urban
flooding. Considered as elixir of life, in this era of climate change and global
warming, water has emerged as the greatest threat and challenge to the
sustainability of urban settlements and human living. Looking at the challenges
posed by the urban flooding ,there is an urgent need to study the causes,
outline impacts, and define potential mitigation strategies to minimise and
eliminate the menace of flooding from urban areas. Considering the need and
importance of making cities safe against the natural and manmade disasters
perpetuated by flooding, paper tries to examine the role , relevance and
importance of rationalizing urban planning , carrying out development based on
site suitability analysis, using options of retaining rather than draining water,
rationalizing urbanisation and adopting nature based solutions besides involving
communities to make cities safe against flooding,
Keywords; Urban flooding, Urbanisation, urban planning, nature based solutions
1.Introduction
Adversely impacted by the enormous stress caused by large scale
deforestation, destruction of large volume of flora and fauna, higher order of solar
radiation and increase incidence of urban heat-island recorded in the urban
areas, planet earth is becoming warmer and warmer. As per available data,
global temperature record indicates that all 10 of the planet’s warmest
years happened since 2015. Last decade is known to have recorded highest
incidence of solar radiation. This puts a question mark on the dividends earned
of all the efforts made under the Paris Climate Agreement, where countries
––

3. across the globe, are working hard to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius
from the pre-industrial era. Rapid rise in global temperature has led to climate
change leading to higher incidences of concentrated rainfall covering all seven
continents globally. Under the impact of the increased precipitation and
concentrated rainfall , majority of the cities are reeling under frequent flooding.
Accordingly, urban flooding is fast becoming major hazard and integral part of
the urban growth and development.
Urban flooding is the inundation of land or property in cities or other built
environment, caused by rainfall or coastal storm surges overwhelming the
capacity of drainage systems, such as storm sewers. Urban flooding can occur
regardless of whether or not affected communities are located within designated
floodplains or near any body of water. Urban flooding can also be triggered by
an overflow of rivers and lakes, flash flooding or snowmelt. During the floods,
water may accumulate on property and in public rights-of-way. It can seep into
buildings through sewer pipes, cellars, toilets and sinks
Urban flooding is known to have numerous implications for urban growth and
development besides community living. Cities are known to suffer considerable
loss of lives and property. Urban flooding is also known to negate and destroy
the urban infrastructures created over a period of time. Cities lose and suffer
damage to its essential infrastructures, which are considered critical and valuable
for proper functioning of the cities. Urban flooding is also known to
disproportionately adversely impact the marginalised sections of the
communities, putting them under considerable physical and financial stress and
strains. Urban flooding is known to have long term effects on city and
communities , which require considerable time and resources to restore and
make cities operational and functional again.
Despite the fact that urban flooding has emerged as the major challenge to the
urban growth, development and sustainability, still the issue is not being taken
seriously, when compared to other major disasters, like hurricanes, and storms .
While these natural hazardous invariably find space in national and international
disaster mitigation policies and programme, but urban flooding, despite having
major physical, social, economic and environmental implications for majority of
urban residents and communities, still remain marginalised, in terms of evolving
solutions and options to mitigate and overcoming them. While storms, flash
flooding, riverine or coastal flooding can affect large areas, urban flooding tends
to be more concentrated, impacting specific neighborhoods or city blocks. Unlike
river or coastal flooding, which are often associated with natural bodies of water,
urban flooding is a specific type of flooding that occurs in urban areas due to a
combination of factors. Urban Flooding is known for its implications in damaging
homes, businesses, and infrastructures; creating public health risk and
waterborne diseases, due to  stagnant water which can invariably lead to
––

4. economic and human loss. Disruptions caused by flooding can affect local
economies and increase recovery costs. Urban flooding is caused by excessive
runoff in developed areas where the water has nowhere to go. As a result, when
it rains, the water runs off the metalled/paved surfaces and overwhelms the
capacity of drainage systems, leading to flooding.
According to a study made by UNDP; world's 100 most populated cities are
becoming increasingly exposed to flooding and drought. Charity WaterAid ,working
with the Universities of Bristol and Cardiff , has concluded that 17% of the cities
studied were at risk from "climate whiplash," where drought and flooding has become
more intense. The study also showed that 20% of the 100 cities had seen a change,
at one time experiencing one extreme, now facing another. In the last four decades,
research has showed that most populated capital cities of London, Madrid and
Paris had become increasingly dry, while Sri Lankan, capital Colombo, and Lahore
in Pakistan, are now having more severe floods. Large number of cities in Africa
and Asia, have been classified as most vulnerable urban settlements under the
impact of climate change , which can adversely impact availability of clean water
supplies, Floods and droughts are stripping away people's foundation of survival –
water, the study has concluded
2.Defining Urban Flooding;
Having numerous connotations, implications and localized nature, urban flooding
has been defined distinctly and differently by different scholars, researchers and
academicians in terms of;
Urban flooding is the inundation of land or property in cities or other built
environment, caused by excessive rainfall or coastal storm surges,
overwhelming the capacity of drainage systems, such as storm sewers.
(Wikipedia)
 Urban flooding refers to the inundation of property in urban areas caused by
rain falling on impervious surfaces and overwhelming the capacity of
drainage systems.
Urban flooding is defined as excessive runoff caused in developed areas
where the water doesn’t have anywhere to go.( Anna Weber).
Urban Flooding includes and involves. sudden, unwelcome rush of water
through city streets, seeping into homes, and disrupting daily rhythms.
(Sustainability Directory)
Urban flooding, is a socio-hydrological phenomenon characterized by the
inundation of human settlements due to the interaction of meteorological
events, altered land cover, and inadequate drainage infrastructures, often
compounded by climate change-induced shifts in precipitation patterns and
sea-level rise.(Sustainability Directory)
––

5. Urban Flooding is the inundation of property in a built environment,
particularly in more densely populated areas, caused by rain falling on
increased amounts of impervious surfaces and overwhelming the capacity of
drainage systems.(Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) .
Urban flooding is the result of rain falling on developed surfaces and
overwhelming drainage systems, densely populated communities and
roadways.
From the above definitions , it can be clearly observed and safely concluded
that urban flooding has genesis in the excessive water which accumulates in a
given urban area and has no ready and immediate outlet. In addition, above
definitions also indicate that urban flooding remains largely a local phenomenon,
which adversely impact cities, communities and built environment. Further, these
definitions also explain that the urban flooding has genesis in creating densely
populated communities, making large surfaces impervious, designing
unsustainable built environment and marginalizing the nature besides having
inadequate capacity of the drainage system provided for draining the storm
water. However, it needs to be understood and appreciated that urban flooding
remains different and distinct as a phenomenon, from coastal and riverine
flooding. It is more frequent, more localized and most likely to affect cities and
communities, which has little capacity and who can least afford to deal with it.
Urban flooding is generally caused by excessive runoff in developed areas
where the water doesn’t have anywhere to go. Urban flooding can be linked to
major disasters, like hurricane or cloudburst, which are known to cause heavy
and intense rainfall in a limited area and in a limited time span. It has also been
observed that, existence of deteriorated or inadequate infrastructure especially
in the Impoverished, neglected, and/or socio-economically isolated urban
communities even small amount of rainfall can lead to large accumulation of
water and causing floods. So floods don’t have any defined agenda, and can
overwhelm any place, city and communities, where there exists limited capacity
to deal with excessive rainfall.
3.Factors Promoting Urban Flooding
Globally, urban flooding is assuming alarming proportion with increasing
intensity and more frequency. Urban flooding can be attributed to; heavy rainfall
which can overwhelm drainage systems; : flooding from rising sea levels during
storms in the coastal cities ; poor and outdated drainage system   leading to
water accumulation and creation of large volume of impervious surfaces,
preventing water absorption and increasing/accelerating runoff.
––

6. Large proportions of both small towns and large cities are falling victim to
increasing fury and frequency of floods , adversely impacting cities and
communities ,causing physical, financial and emotional distress, Urban flooding
is known for its adverse capacity to marginalise and diluting the operation and
functioning of cities. In addition, flooding also damage and destroy the basic
urban infrastructures, essential for human living, growth and development. In
this era of rapid climate change led by ever increasing frequency and intensity
of extreme weather events, vulnerability of the cities to frequent flooding, is
becoming a norm rather than an exception. This calls for looking at the genesis
of urban flooding. Understanding the prime causes and subsequent impacts on
cities and communities assumes importance for developing effective strategies
for mitigation, resilience and adaptation to urban flooding.
Studies made by, ‘The Center for Disaster Resilience at the University of
Maryland and Center for Texas Beaches and Shores at Texas A&M University,
Galveston Campus’, have revealed that; Urban flooding is caused by a
combination of large number of factors, including; existence of inadequate
drainage systems, rapid urbanization and poor land use practices. However,
major factors causing urban flooding can be enumerated in terms of ;
Rapid and Unsustainable Urbanization; Under the impact of ever
increasing globalization and liberlisation of economies, majority of nations
are passing thorough an era of rapid urabanisation. Rapid urabanisation is
being witnessed in developing nations, which are on the path of growth
and development and have low percentage of urbanisation. Under the
impact of rapid urbanisation ,cities are growing and expanding rapidly. In
majority of cases these expansions are taking place without any planning
framework. Accordingly, majority of growth and expansion of cities and
communities, remains unplanned and haphazard. With rapid influx of
migrant population, cities are also witnessed large scale construction of
housing, space for offices, leisure , healthcare and educational
institutions. In the process, large volume of built space is being created, at
the cost of soft surfaces, which invariably involves removing existing
wealth of flora and fauna, to make space for built environment. Rapid
expansion of cities is known to promote impervious surfaces, reducing the
natural capacity of the land to absorb water. Hard surfaces are known to
increase flow of water from 10% to 60%, while drastically reducing
infiltration, to the level of zero. Rapid urbanization, irrational land use and
marginalised environmental management, accordingly are known to be
prime reasons, responsible for urban flooding.
Limited availability of Green Spaces; Urban flooding, primarily and
essentially has roots in the altered hydrology of our settlements. When
natural landscape in the cities is replaced by impervious surfaces, the
––

7. capacity of the land to absorb water diminishes dramatically. Instead of
gentle infiltration, hard surfaces often lead to rapid surface runoff, towards
the lowest points, where large number of slums and slum population are
found to reside, causing flooding in the low-lying area. In addition, rapid
urbanization often results in the loss of green spaces, such as parks and
wetlands, which are known to absorb and store excess rainfall. Led by
ever increasing urbanization, increasing price of urban land and large
scale speculation of land , majority of Indian cities are perpetually facing
acute scarcity of green spaces. Green spaces, existing vegetation, flora
&fauna and soil are known to help retain water, and slow the flow of
rainwater by absorption and promote the natural drainage. Increased
urbanization invariably marginalizes green and open spaces; disrupts the
natural systems and create large volume of impervious surfaces.
Existence of impervious surfaces under roads, sidewalks, walkways,
footpaths, parking and buildings, invariably leads to increased surface
runoff and urban flooding. In the absence of natural features and large
open spaces, cities have fewer/limited options to manage stormwater and
mitigating the impacts of urban flooding.
Loss of Natural Drainage: Urban development reduces the natural
capacity of the land to absorb water and marginalise the water bodies and
water channels existing in the city . Instead of being absorbed into the
ground or drained through the existing water system, rainfall rapidly runs
off impervious surfaces, overwhelming drainage systems, increasing the
risk and threat of flooding.
Loss of Natural Floodplains: Cities, in its journey of rapid growth and
development, often interfere with natural floodplain by constructing
buildings, roads and other physical and social infrastructure. The
construction of buildings, highways, driveways, and parking lots, made of
Impermeable surfaces, such as concrete and asphalt, prevent rainwater
from infiltrating into the soil. This leads to increased surface runoff and
less recharge of groundwater, exacerbating the risk of urban flooding.
This limits the space for floodwaters to spread out, and marginalise the
natural capacity of these areas to absorb excess water, leading to
increasing the risk of floods.
Inadequate Drainage Systems: Many cities have outdated or
undersized infrastructure that cannot handle the increased volume of
runoff from impervious surfaces. Existence of an outdated and inadequate
drainage systems; remain a significant cause of urban flooding in majority
of cities. Many cities have outdated or insufficient drainage systems to
handle heavy rainfall. Poorly planned, designed, maintained, inadequate
drainage systems can cause water to accumulate in cities, overwhelming
––

8. existing drainage networks leading to urban flooding.Inadequate storm
water system has genesis in inadequate capacity of the existing drainage
system, which, in many urban areas, were designed decades ago, when
the population and level of development were much lower. As cities grow
and urbanization increases, the capacity of these systems becomes
insufficient/limited, to handle the increased volume of stormwater. In
addition, in majority of cases, drainage systems created in cities are
aging and require urgent repair or replacement. Deteriorating pipes and
culverts can lead to blockages and reduced capacity to drain water,
increasing the risk of flooding. Further, existing drainage system also
suffer from the malaise of Inadequate maintenance due to
accumulation of debris, sediment, and vegetation in the storm sewers
and channels. Aging, undersized, outdated, marginalised storm water
infrastructure networks often struggle to manage the accelerated flow of
water during intense rainfall events This invariably create roadblocks and
hinder the free flow of water, which ultimately increases the likelihood of
urban flooding.
Climate Change: Climate change has emerged as the critical factor for
making cities reel under the impact of flooding. Under the commutative
impact of rising global temperatures, climate change, and rising sea
levels, existing pattern of climate are undergoing rapid change in terms of
heat, cold, rainfall, precipitation etc. In the process they are
commutatively contributing to more intense and frequent rainfall,
increasing the incidences and eventualities of repeated flooding in cities.
Higher Intensity of Rainfall; Over a period of time, it has been observed
that not only intensity of rainfall has increased but duration of rainfall
has decreased and shortened , which has led to increased quantity and
volume of rainwater to be handled at local level. Limited installed capacity
of storm water drainage with large surfaces getting metalled, has
invariably led to probability of urban flooding.
 Irrational Land use Planning; Cities are now being planned, designed
and constructed without understanding and evaluating the morphology
and fabric of the land on which cities are being built. In the absence of a
realistic land suitability analysis, low-lying land and vulnerable areas,
prone to flooding and disaster, are being permitted to be used for
urbanisation which invariably reduces the capacity and capability of the
city to hold rain water, making them vulnerable to flooding. Constructing
buildings in flood-prone areas or filling wetlands and using them for
urbanisation and development purposes, are known to increase the risk
of urban flooding. Meanwhile, high-intensity constructions taking place in
the cities due to higher influx of population and concentration of activities
––

9. such as buildings, roads, parking and public squares, has led to
excessive hardening of lower pad , changing the original natural
foundation and hydrological characteristics. Ignoring existing/ natural
water systems, watersheds and water bodies during planning of cities and
towns, invariably lead to flooding of the cities.
 Irrational Building Bye-laws and Development Controls; Under the
impact of rapid urbanisation, cost of land in urban areas, has become
very high. This has led to increased commercialization and higher
demand for built-up area in terms of higher ground coverage and
increased floor area ratio. The revised building norms and development
controls involving higher floor area ratio , have led to permitting large
ground coverage and higher built up area, leaving little open spaces
within the site, has led to creating large volume of built space, and also
rapid dispatch of rain water. This invariably leads to flooding of the urban
communities.
Increased Cost of Urban Land; has invariably led to commercialization
of the available urban land resource for generating maximum revenue ,
leaving very limited opportunities of providing green/open spaces for
holding the rain water. This has helped in accelerating the flooding of the
cities
Misusing existing Wetlands: Wetlands play a crucial role in flood control
by absorbing excess water and reducing downstream flood risk. Misusing
and abusing wetlands for urban development invariably marginalise its
capacity in the domain of natural flood protection, thereby increasing the
risk of urban flooding. Undertaking construction and building in
floodplains, without proper floodplain management and zoning regulations,
can also place more people and property at risk of flooding. Without
adequate safeguards, such as setback requirements and elevation
standards, developments in flood-prone areas are known to make cities
and communities vulnerable to repeated flooding.
Lack of Green & Blue Infrastructure: Green and Blue infrastructure in
urban areas, such as green roofs , parks, play grounds, permeable
pavements and water bodies are known to absorb and retain lot of
rainwater, slowing the flow of such water, to save the cities from the
impact of flooding. Increased inadequacy and limited availability of green
and blue infrastructures in urban areas, has limited and marginalised the
capacity of cities to natural absorption of rainfall, leading to increased
surface runoff and urban flooding.
4. Impact of Flooding
––

10. Urban flooding significantly impacts local communities, economies, and
infrastructure in the urban areas, ranging from damaging property to causing
economic losses and promoting health related risks. Urban floods are known to
have both long term and short term impacts on the operation and maintenanace
of the city. Cities remain physically, socially, economically and environmentally
challenged and impacted by the accumulation of excess rain water in urban
areas. Floods also adversely impacts the health, hygiene and operational
efficiency of individuals and communities in the urban settlements, for the
reason that hours are lost in traffic rerouting and overcoming travel and traffic
challenges; large disruptions are caused in the local, regional, and national
supply chains; majority of people are unable to access their place of work; while
children are unable to reach the educational institution; closing of school
impact parents; industries unable to operate and hospitals unable to treat
patients. However, it has been observed that urban floods have variable impact
on local communities. Urban flooding is known to pose serious threat to people
and communities who are socially and economically marginalised/vulnerable.
Urban floods are known to be especially disruptive, in terms of causing stress
and health related issues, for the lower-income and minority residents, who
are more likely to live in flood-prone areas . Study  made by the Center for
Neighborhood Technology found that; 84% of people affected by urban flooding
in the Chicago area suffered stress; 13% reported effects on their health or the
health of someone in their household.
Looking at the complexity and implications, adverse impacts of floods on urban
communities and infrastructures can be enumerated in terms of
i. Economic Implication
Large scale deterioration and damage caused to the buildings, and
personal belongings, invariably results in significant financial losses for
individuals and communities, which involve considerable financial and
technical resources for repairs, reconstruction and restoration.
Urban flooding invariably damages roads, bridges, and utility systems,
leading to disruptions in transportation, communication, and essential
services. Repairing and replacing damaged infrastructure can be both
cost/resource intensive and time-consuming.
The costs associated with urban flooding invariably extends beyond
property damage and individuals.

Businesses in large proportion may be forced to shut down/close
temporarily or permanently, leading to enormous loss of jobs,
business opportunities and disruption of local economies.

Dislocation and disruption of local businesses, invariably results in
enormous loss of revenue and income to the institutions and the
residents.
––

11. 
Increased insurance claims may raise premiums for residents and
make addition to cost of living.
ii.Public Health Risks

Urban flooding invariably creates issues like causing health risks,
including exposure to contaminated floodwaters and increased risk of
waterborne diseases, resulting from the loss and displacement caused
by flooding.
Stagnant water creates breeding grounds for mosquitoes, increasing
disease transmission.

Mental health issues may arise from physical/ social displacement
and financial loss incurred by the local communities.
iii.Infrastructure Strain

Overwhelmed drainage systems can lead to prolonged flooding and
stagnation of rain water.
Roads and public transport systems may be rendered unserviceable,
hindering emergency response.

Utilities, such as electricity and water supply, invariably face, both long
term and short term, damage and disruption.
iv.Environmental Impact

Flooding invariably degrades urban land by causing soil erosion and
loss of vegetation., flora and fauna.

Contaminants from urban areas may pollute local waterways.

Wildlife habitats are also known to be altered, damaged or destroyed.
v. Social Displacement

Residents may face and, be forced to evacuate, leading to temporary
or permanent displacement.

Vulnerable population often face greater risks and challenges in
recovery.

Community structure can face disruption with the relocation/
dislocation of people
5 Options for Managing Urban Flooding
Looking at the entire context of urban flooding and the damage and destruction it
causes to humanity, communities, cities, infrastructures, environment and economies,
it becomes vital that cities must be made safe from the ever growing challenges and
threats, posed by flooding. With increased frequency and intensity of rainfall, caused by
the climate change, cities are going to face the challenges of urban flooding at frequent
intervals. In order to promote safety in urban settlements , it will be vital to make cities
resistant to the possible occurring of urban flooding. It needs to be understood and
appreciated that urban flooding has genesis in inadequate drainage systems, rapid &
––

12. unplanned urbanization, poor land use planning and poor environmental management
and the manner in which cities and built environment are being planned , designed,
constructed & maintained. Accordingly, options to overcome the problem of urban
flooding, is also embedded in making urban planning and built environment more
rational, sustainable and responsive to flooding. In order to minimize and eliminate the
threat posed by floods to urban settlements, following options would merit
consideration and evaluation;
Rationalising Urbanisation; Urbanisation and economic development are
known to have positive relationship. Under the impact of urbanisation, cities are
known to grow rapidly, in size and contents, by attracting large number of
people in search of economic activities and agglomeration of
economies . However, rapid urbanization can also be major source of numerous
negativities plaguing the urban settlements. Urbanisation can cause congestion ,
increase exposure to natural hazards, putting pressure on public services and
infrastructure, making cities vulnerable and prone to both, natural and manmade
disasters. In the process, majority of existing cities are perpetually facing the
challenge/risk of floods . The challenge of urban flooding remains visible,
particularly in the cities of developing economies, which lack the capacity and
capability of making risk-informed urban and infrastructure planning and the
resources for investing in protection of urban infrastructures. With increasing
population and ever rising cost of urban land, safe urban spaces get occupied by
communities and individuals having resources. High population density, land
scarcity and low affordability invariably push new developments into derelict,
vulnerable and low lying areas of the city. Despite having vulnerability to urban
flooding, majority of migrants have been continuously and rapidly expanding
their living spaces in the floodable zones of city .Studies made globally have
shown that settlements in high-hazard flood zones have expanded 50 percent
faster than settlements in flood-safe areas
In order to minimize the incidences of flooding in the urban areas, it will be
critical to rationalise the process of urbanisation. While urbanisation remains vital
for the physical growth and economic development of any community, city and
the state, but it must be rationalized and redefined to exclude over-
concentration of population and activities in a given area. Low lying areas, need
to be avoided/prohibited for urbanisation, for minimising the threat of flooding. In
addition, urbanisation must be properly planned and designed in order to ensure
that cities remain safe, against all manmade and natural disasters. Genesis of
urban flooding has roots in unplanned development of the cities and towns ,
which invariably leads to irrational growth and development of urban settlements
without caring and providing for managing rain water. Planned development of
––

13. urban areas is known for its capacity to make cities safe against natural and
manmade disasters.
For mitigating losses due to floods, , it will be critical that urban development
strategies and options must be based on clear understanding of the factors
causing risk of flooding at the local level. Making cities safe against flooding,
would require monitoring of urbanisation on regular basis besides keeping an
eye on the prevailing pattern of floods. Clearly defining the land use pattern by
evolving a long term planning strategy would help in avoiding construction in the
high risk floodable zones of the city. Careful planning and disaster preparedness
can invariably support resilient development of urban areas, for making them
safe against the problem of flooding.
Promoting Urban Planning based on Land Suitability Analysis; For making
cities safe against any disaster, city planning needs rationalization and
redefinition. For rationalising and redefinition, development of the cities must be
based on carrying out a detailed study and analysis, in terms of suitability of
land identified for urban development and allocation of land uses. Since land is
known to have different characteristics and capacity and capability, of being used
for a defined purposes for optimization, accordingly, it remains relevant that
land should be used only for the purpose for which it is appropriate. Changing the
nature, based on destroying and damaging the existing flora, resources and
character of land, has been considered as the root cause of the majority of ills
prevailing and facing the urban settlements. It needs to be understood and
appreciated that cities in its planning must value its existing flora, fauna, bio-
diversity and natural resources, which must be preserved, conserved and added
in value so as to promote urban sustainability. Technology led by Geographic
information systems (GIS); can be effectively leveraged as an analytic tool, to
determine suitability of various sites and land parcels for different urban
purposes. GIS based maps can help in evaluating and analyzing the suitability
of various land parcels based on prevailing physical properties involving
existing slope, ruling gradients, existing flora and fauna and quality of soil.
It needs to be understood and appreciated that while determining land uses in
the urban context, area falling under forest and vegetation must be preserved,
conserved and retained in planning. All natural water resources and water
channels must be preserved and made integral part of urban planning process,
on the pattern adopted in the planning of Chandigarh, where a seasonal water
channel was preserved and converted into valley of leisure. Leisure valley of
Chandigarh currently house and space large number of parks, gardens, open
spaces, museums, forming a continuous green belt and acts as a green lung of
the city. Leisure valley has given a unique and distinct character to the capital
city of Chandigarh, and made it a role model of sustainable development.
Accordingly, all low-lying areas in the city needs to be identified through a
––

14. detailed survey, and such areas needs to be used for creating a continuous
green belt in the city or to be used for creating a water body in the city. Identifying
existing low lying areas in the city and planning them, in an integrated manner,
to form a green belt or creating water bodies in the city, can perpetually help
urban settlements in creating large capacity in the shape of green and blue
infrastructures, which can be leveraged for retaining excess rain water to save
cities from the challenge of flooding. Chandigarh has created an artificial Sukhna
Lake , by simply putting a barrage on the seasonal Choe, which has helped in,
not only saving large area of city and its adjoining areas from repeated flooding
but has also helped in retaining large volume of rain water on continued basis.
Besides promoting recharging ground water, promoting afforestation and growth
of vegetation and modulating the harsh climate, Sukhna lake has also emerged
as the preferred tourist destination, attracting large number of tourists, from
within and outside the city, Chandigarh lake is known for its importance as great
place making by creating a large dedicated public space for leisure, recreation,
relaxation, walking, jogging and meditation, making Chandigarh a happy and
healthy city to live and work.
Image; Sukhna Lake, Chandigarh; Source; www.japjittravel.com
Migrating from Draining to Retaining Rainwater; All current practices related
to managing rain water focus on collecting the rain water in certain defined area
and then draining it outside the city, by the storm water system laid in the area.
Considering the growing intensity of rainfall coupled with prevailing issues
related to capacity, planning, designing and maintenance existing storm water
systems, cities invariably get locked in the problem of flooding. The problem
gets aggravated in the low-lying areas, due to faster flow and larger quantity of
rainfall, which needs to be disposed off. Drainage systems in the cities are
planned and designed for a given capacity of rainwater to be discharged,
––

15. based on the average rainfall in the past recorded in the area. In case, the
intensity of rainfall becomes higher, drainage system invariably fails, to
discharge the total rainfall falling in the area, and the cities face the challenge of
flooding. Water remains precious for the communities and cities and accordingly
needs to be preserved, conserved and valued as a gift of nature. With majority
of urban areas, perpetually facing the challenge of sourcing water for the
residents, accordingly it becomes important that rain- water must be harnessed
to partly meet the needs of the city and communities, to reduce the pressure on
other sources of water in the city. Rainwater, if sourced properly, is known for its
distinct quality for human use and use of cities. Thus, in order to overcome the
challenge of limited availability of water , options which is currently used for
draining rain water from the city, must be changed to retaining the rain water
within the city. This approach will not only help in increased availability of water
in the city, but will also overcome the challenge of urban flooding. Retaining
rainwater, will however require multi-pronged strategies.
Shifting to retaining water instead of draining water, as a policy option, assumes
importance for the reason, that water , as elixir of life , needs to be preserved ,
conserved and valued as a gift of nature. With a resource base of merely 4%
water, serving 17.78% global population and housing largest livestock of 500
million, India ranks high among most water stressed countries in the world.
UNDP has estimated that in India, still 35 million people remain water stressed,
for the reason that they have no access to safe drinking water and 635 million
people don’t have access to sanitation, which concludes that India needs to tap
all available sources of water, including rain water, to ensure universal
availability of potable water to all its current and future population.
UNDP has also reported that, 80% of the jobs remain water dependent in low
income countries, where agriculture forms major source of livelihood; 72% of
fresh water drawn from earth is consumed by the agriculture sector, whereas
$832 billion in economic loss was caused by urban floods during 2021-22. In
addition, 1.4 billion people were adversely impacted by draught in 2021-22 and
10% increase in global migration, between 1970-2000 was linked to water
deficiency. Considering increasing role, relevance and importance of water, as
an instrument of peace , driver of prosperity and promoter of food security, it
becomes essential that water, in all available forms, must be retained rather
than drained in ponds, rivers, canals etc.
Retaining Rainwater at Source; Cities/urban spaces, invariably comprise of
built spaces, open spces and the metalled surfaces in the shape of; roads,
footpaths, pavements, parking etc., where the rainfall gets localized. Genesis of
urban flooding has roots in the current practice of metaling and paving all the
––

16. available spaces in the cities. Metalled spaces are known to promote speedier
flow and increased intensity of rainwater, while marginalizing the capacity of
these spaces to absorb, retain and slowdown the flow of rain water. In order to
overcome the challenge of urban flooding, metalled surfaces in the city must be
minimized and where provided , must be planned and designed in such a
manner that majority of rain water falling on these surfaces is retained by them
and only limited quantity of rain water is allowed to outflow in the city drainage
system. Efforts must be made to increase quantum of soft spaces in the city, for
absorption and retaining large proportion of rain water. In addition, all hard
surfaces must be innovatively planned& designed to retain water rather than
drain water. Accordingly, urban roads, which remain the major channels of
draining rainwater, must be planned and designed to include the provision of
a landscaped and green belt/divider along the roads, so that entire rain water
falling on roads is made to flow in the green belt for absorption and retention,
without allowing them to go into storm water drainage system . All pavements
and pathways must be planned and designed to include appropriate
landscaping, for increased porosity, to absorb rainwater falling on such
surfaces. All parking spaces must be made porous so as to retain water rather
than drain water. In addition, building bye-laws and development controls, made
applicable in the city, must mandate that that entire rain water falling in the
plot/flat must be retained within the building itself. Mandating green roofs,
leaving adequate unpaved front and rear setbacks for retaining water besides
making provision for rain water harvesting systems within the individual
plots/group housing, can help in lowering the threat posed by floods in the urban
areas. Undertaking large scale tree plantation ,with high capacity to absorb rain
water, can help in reducing the challenge of urban flooding.
Embedding Flood Management in Planning Process ; Despite the fact,
globally large majority of cities are facing the challenges posed by flooding, still
urban flooding is never included and addressed, as an issue in the urban
planning and development process. Majority of master plans and development
plans , prepared for the cities, don’t address the issue of managing floods and
making cities safe against the repeated floods. These plans rarely identify the
low-lying areas, which invariably remain susceptible/prone to flooding and
mandate them not to be used for urbanisation. In addition, water channels and
natural drainage systems existing in the city, are rarely indicated and
protected/preserved in the master/development plans, which ultimately bring
them under urabanisation, leading to flooding of the city, with rainwater having
no space to exit. This calls for including and making urban flooding, as integral
part of the urban planning and development process, so as to make cities safe
from the repeated incidences of flooding. Master /Development Plans ,
prepared for the city, must include and have a dedicated chapter, addressing
––

17. the issues and defining the options of managing urban floods so as to make
cities safe against such disasters. For mitigating the impacts of poor land use
and environmental management on urban flooding, cities must rationalise land
use practices which should focus on floodplain management, preserve and
restore wetlands, and promote the use of green infrastructures. By making flood
risk considerations integral part of urban planning and zoning practices, cities
can reduce the risk of urban flooding; protect vulnerable areas; protect the well-
being of their residents; promote sustainable and resilient development. and
enhance their overall resilience to climate-related hazards. Approach to Urban
Planning must include and involve; opting for adaptive urban planning and
embedding zoning practices in order to guide development away from flood-
prone areas and also to ensure that new construction incorporates flood-
resilient design principles. Urban local bodies , department of urban planning
and parastatal agencies, vested with power to prepare and ,determine land-
use and urbanization plans and regulations, including their enforcement must
ensure that low lying and vulnerable areas are not used for urbanisation, in
order to make cities and communities safe against flooding.
Making Cities Spongy; Majority of Chinese cities were suffering from the
problem of repeated flooding, during the rainy season, causing enormous loss to
life , property, local communities and urban infrastructures. In order to make
communities and cities safe, China Government evolved and extensively used
the concept of planning and designing Spongy Cities, as a typology of urban
planning, to make cities safe against the challenges posed by flooding.To make
Sponge City a distinct reality, the Chinese Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural
Development issued "Technical Guidelines for Sponge City Construction",; in
October 2014 emphasizing the importance of the top-level design of urban
rainwater management, as well as planning to guide urban construction with
ecological priority as the basic principle embedded in the newly built, expanded,
and rebuilt sponge buildings, roads, squares, parks, green spaces and urban
water systems. Sponge city concept was conceptualised to works on three
themes involving; protecting the original urban ecosystem, ecological restoration,
and low-impact development. The Sponge City philosophy works on the agenda
to distribute and retain water at its source; slow down water as it flows away from
its source, clean water naturally and be adaptive to water at the sink when water
accumulates. This is in stark contrast to the conventional solution of grey
infrastructure, which focus on and prioritize centralization and accumulating
water, using big reservoirs, speed up the flow by pipes and channelized drains,
and fight against water at the end, by higher and stronger flood walls and dams.
Construction of sponge cities has been made possible, through strengthening
the management of urban planning and construction, giving full play to the impact
––

18. of buildings, roads, green spaces, and water systems on rainwater. Under
Sponge Cities Program, planners are mandated to leverage the distinct
advantage offered by green grey infrastructure in cities, as a way to manage
pluvial flooding and climate change risk, to counter the adverse impact of rapid
urbanization.Sponge city policy mandated that Cities in China will collect and
utilize 70 percent of the rainwater for urban purposes. Policy also mandated that,
20 percent of urban centers shall meet the defined target of managing rain water
by the year 2020, and the proportion will increase to 80 percent by 2030.
Selected cities were incentivised through dedicated grants, and technical
knowhow provided by the national government, to achieve the agenda of sponge
cities.
.
Image; Permeable surfaces in China, for allowing water to seep into the ground;
Source: Mu Yu/Xinhua/picture alliance
Denmark also created sponge city plan for Copenhagen, to make city safe
against flooding. Having studied sponge city projects around the world,
Copenhagen's "Cloudburst Master Plan," prepared by Rasmussen's team,
redesigned a network of 250 public spaces in the city, that could help in the
retention or redirection of floodwaters, including parks, playgrounds etc. The
idea was to use the ability of trees, shrubs and soil to retain water naturally and
let it flow to places where it is not destructive. In addition, a dozen ponds
bordering the city were also designed to retain excess rainwater in the event of a
cloudburst. Like other ponds, wide openings were made on the sides of low-
lying streets, to funnel floodwater into a network of tunnels, laid 20 meters
(about 65 feet) below the surface , to retain excess rainwater to avoid flooding.
––

19. Image ; Creating multipurpose spaces that can be used by the public but also
serve to retain water, when need arises Image: Tredje Natur
Image; of the above Public space with rain water after sudden heavy rainfall;
Sourcw: Tredje Natur
Globally, Sponge cities have used the distinct advantages provided by green
Infrastructure in terms of   creating more parks, making roofs green and
promoting permeable pavements to absorb rainwater;  utilizing natural
landscapes to filter and manage stormwater runoff; leveraging rainwater
harvesting by collecting and storing rainwater for reuse& reducing demand
––

20. on municipal systems besides making value addition to urban forestry by 
planting large number of trees, that would help absorb rain water besides
providing shade and reducing intensity of heat-islands. Spong cities have
been valued globally, for its distinct advantages in terms of creating more
sustainable/ resilient environment and making cities safe by mitigating
flooding and reducing surface run off . In addition, sponge cities also known to
help in improving the quality of rainwater through the process of filtering
pollutants from stormwater besides promoting bio-diversity by creating
habitats for spacing various species, within urban settings. Initially
considered as a panacea to overcome floods and overcoming water shortage, it
was observed that sponge cities also make value addition to cities in terms of
minimising heat island making cities cool, promote energy efficiency and reduce
the impact of climate change and global warming. However, making sponge
cities a distinct reality in the urban context would require, a well-defined
policy framework; total commitment on the part of local government to
create such a city; adopting different approach to urban planning; creating
a network of public spaces which could help in retention or redirection of
floodwaters; redefining urban legislation and urban planning norms and
standards, besides making allocating of large manpower/resources and
total involvement/support of the local communities. Managing the impacts of
urban flooding would also require coordinated efforts from government agencies,
communities, and individuals. Investing in infrastructure improvements
promoting public awareness and educating communities can make cities more
resilient to the impacts of urban flooding.
Making Rainwater Harvesting Integral Part of Built Environment; Major
proportion of the urban land is invariably covered by buildings. Built
environment has been considered to be largely responsible for flooding
cities, due to accelerated outflow of rainwater on the public streets.
Accordingly, if built environment is planned and designed in such a manner
that it acts alike a sponge, so that rain water falling on the buildings is also
retained by them, cities will have much better chances to minimize the
threat of flooding. Greening the roof of the buildings ,, has been found to
play important role in not only absorbing large part of rainwater falling on
buildings but also in slowing the flow of rainwater on the public streets. In
addition, in case of buildings, having large footprints and large area under
––

21. roof, rainwater collection and storage could be made integral part of
building design by collecting such water within the site by creating water
bodies. Role, relevance of creating water bodies, as integral part of building
design, to harvest the rainwater, has been aptly demonstrated by Le-
Corbusier in the planning and designing of buildings housing High Court
and Legislative Assembly in the capitol complex of Chandigarh. The
concept has not only eliminated the need of providing rainwater system ,
but has embedded rainwater as integral part of building design, to usher
an era of water conservation ,energy efficiency, modulating local
temperature, minimising heat island impact, promoting sustainability and
imageability of the buildings. The approach has helped in freeing capital
complex and the city from the challenge posed by rainwater.
Image; Palace of Assembly Chandigarh; Source;www.alamy.com
Opting for Nature Based Solutions for Water Management; Studies made
globally, have revealed that majority of urban problems has genesis in
marginalizing, muting and diluting the role and relevance of nature in the
process of growth and development of the cities. Studies have also revealed
that best options to overcome the challenges faced by the cities , including
managing climate change and mitigating urban flooding, would be to bring
nature and urban development on the same page and same platform. It is also
said that, if nature, its element and resources are made integral part of the
––

22. planning process and all urban planning, development strategies, are based on
protecting, preserving and making value addition to the nature, cities would
become more livable spaces, free from the menace of natural hazards. Looking
holistically, uncontrolled urbanisation, rapid urban/ agricultural expansions, have
been the major drivers of deforestation globally. As per available statistics,
annual forest loss has been estimated at around 4.7 million hectares, during the
period 2010–2020. Over the same period, Asia had the highest net gain of forest
area followed by Oceania and Europe.
Looking at the nature based solutions and its applicability in the urban
context ,it has revealed that restoration of existing forest can benefit both
human settlements, biodiversity and human livelihoods , in terms of providing
food, timber and medicinal products besides making cities safe against repeated
menace of flooding. Diverse, native species of trees, have been found to be
more resilient to climate change. Forest restoration, as part of national
development strategies, can help cities, states and countries achieve
sustainable development goals and make cities and communities-safe inclusive,
resilient and sustainable
.
It has also been established that major reason of climate change and urban
flooding has roots in increased share of carbon in the air due to high degree of
deforestation. In order to overcome these challenges, efforts are required to be
made to reverse the process of degrading nature by pulling large proportion of
carbon back into the biosphere. The objective of reducing the proportion of the
carbon in the atmosphere can be realistically/effectively achieved by; leveraging
the power of natural environments, such as forests, wetlands, flora and fauna.
Nature based climate solutions, are known for its capacity to help combat
climate change in three distinct ways: minimsing greenhouse gas emissions
from deforestation, capturing and storing carbon from the atmosphere, and
building ecosystems, which are more resilient to climate hazards such as
flooding and wildfires.
Power and potential of the nature and nature based solutions, can also be
used for providing important services to the communities in terms of ; protecting
them against flooding and excessive heat, besides preventing runoff and helping
improve air, soil and water quality by filtering out pollutants. Green stormwater
management systems, are valued to be smart and cost-effective. According to
the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN); Natural based
climate solutions could contribute more than 30% of the cost-effective climate
solutions needed globally in the next few decades. They could also save
countries hardest hit by climate change to the tune of  $393 billion in 2050 and
reduce climate hazards by 26%
––

23. Providing Green and Blue infrastructures, in the urban areas has also been
recognized as one of the nature based option to make cities sustainable and
free from the problem of flooding. Blue and Green Infrastructures, refer to
creating a network that provides options for solving urban and climatic
challenges by building with nature. The approach includes making provision
of, stormwater management; increasing biodiversity; better air quality;
sustainable energy production; clean water; more human centered functions;
increased quality of life through- recreation and provision of shade and shelter
in and around towns and cities. Green and Blue infrastructures are known for its
capacity to address the challenges posed by rapid urbanization and
impermeable surfaces, by prioritizing stormwater management and incorporating
green infrastructure solutions. By integrating green spaces, such as rain
gardens and bioswales, into urban design, cities can enhance water infiltration
and reduce the risk of urban flooding . Green roofs, blue roofs and green walls
are also nature-based solutions that can be implemented in urban areas for
reducing the impact of urban heat islands, capturing stormwater, abating
pollution, and acting as carbon sinks besides enhancing local biodiversity and
eliminating flooding.
Creating an Effective and Efficient Stormwater Management System ;
Urban flooding remains unpredictable both in quantity, quality and intensity.
Majority of the cities are suffering from the problem of urban flooding, for the
reason that stormwater system planned have either outlived their life or suffer
from the limitation of the capacity to dispose off current quantity of rain water.
Large scale urbanisation, construction of large number of buildings coupled with
metaling of available urban spaces, have invariably led to rain water
overwhelming the prevailing storm water system leading to flooding. Managing
urban flooding invariably requires effective and efficient stormwater
management and infrastructure that can handle the increased runoff and protect
urban areas from the damaging impacts of flooding. Addressing inadequate
drainage systems requires investment in infrastructure upgrading and
maintenance, as well as improved stormwater management practices. By
increasing the capacity and resilience of drainage systems, cities can better
manage the challenge of stormwater and reduce the risk of urban flooding.
However, it has been observed that in the ongoing era of climate change and
global warming, no storm water drainage system can create the capacity to
make city safe from urban flooding.
Enhancing drainage and sewage systems will remain crucial for managing
urban flooding and improving flood response. Upgrading drainage and sewage
systems to increase their capacity can help mitigate the risk of urban flooding by
––

24. allowing for better management of stormwater and reducing the likelihood of
overflow during heavy rainfall events. Regular maintenance and repairs of
drainage and sewage systems are essential to ensure their proper functioning.
Clearing debris, sediment, and vegetation from storm sewers and channels can
help prevent blockages and maintain their flow capacity. Integrating drainage
and sewage systems into a comprehensive flood response plan can improve
emergency preparedness and coordination during flood events. By investing in
the enhancement and maintenance of drainage and sewage systems, cities can
better manage stormwater, reduce the risk of urban flooding, and improve their
overall flood response capabilities
In order to make city free from floods, urban drainage system will have to be
reviewed, revised and redefined. The new storm water drainage system to be
put in place, will have to be different and distinct from the existing system along
with the approach adopted for storm water drainage. The approach will be to
treat urban stormwater runoff as a resource rather than a nuisance or liability,
which would require paradigm shift in the way environmental resources and
water infrastructure are dealt with in the planning and design of towns, and cities.
The new strategy will focus on rain water management and not water drainage
and would revolve around reducing the flow of rainwater going to the drainage
system, by retaining majority of storm water for meeting the water needs of the
city. New drainage system would look at optimising the use of rainwater for urban
related purposes, which would include and involve;
oReducing peak flows and runoff from the urban environment
oProtecting and improving the water quality to be drained
oConserving water resources through reuse and system efficiency
oRestoring water balance by maximizing the reuse of stormwater,
oProtecting and making value addition to existing water bodies and
wetlands
oUsing stormwater for landscape to enhance social, visual, cultural, and
ecological value of public spaces
The new system should also involve; recharging the ground water by making
city porous and spongy. Thus, rain water management system would require
integration and support of other options involving, creating permeable surfaces,
promoting rain gardens, making roofs green , creating and augmenting the
urban wetlands that absorb, filter and slowly release stormwater. Such design
interventions would not only help mitigate urban flooding but would also offer
distinct benefits related to enhancing biodiversity, improving air quality, and
providing recreational spaces for residents. Best storm water management
practices invariably aim at

; more holistic stormwater quantity management ;
––

25. reducing volume of runoff; prevention of soil erosion besides recharging the
aquifer. However, making storm water management system work effectively and
efficiently, would require seamless horizontal coordination across various
municipal departments and vertical integration between local and regional
governments, overcoming bureaucratic silos and fostering collaborative decision-
making that prioritizes long-term resilience over short-term political gains.
To address the challenges posed by rapid urbanization and impermeable
surfaces, cities need to prioritize stormwater management and incorporate green
infrastructure solutions. By integrating green spaces, such as rain gardens and
bioswales, into urban design, cities can enhance water infiltration and reduce the
risk of urban flooding. To mitigate the impacts of urban flooding on infrastructure
and property, it is essential to invest in resilient infrastructure and implement
effective floodplain management measures. These steps can help minimize the
financial losses and disruptions caused by urban flooding.
Creating a realistic vision and rational policy framework; Looking at the
entire gamut of urban flooding and its adverse physical, social, economic and
environmental implications on humanity, communities, cities, states, nations and
environment, it will be critical and vital that government of India, in collaboration
with state governments and other stakeholders, should come out with a realistic
vision and rational policy framework, so as to effectively meet the challenges
posed by heavy rainfall and make cities safe from urban flooding.
Policy must include and involve study and analysis of prevailing climatic
conditions and address issues related to rainfall, while framing the policy
framework. Institute of Town Planners and state Town Planning departments
should be asked to evolve new planning framework and redefine the intent,
contents and scope of master plans/development plans prepared for the cities,
to make them porous and safe against the problems of flooding. Institute of
Architects and professional architects , should be asked to work on the agenda
of making buildings spongy so that rainfall and runoff from buildings is
minimised. Each city should be asked to prepare a status report on the
vulnerability of the city and identify critical areas which are prone to flooding.
Each city must be asked to prepare a GIS based land-use plan, identifying
critical areas which are low-lying and areas prone to flooding beside identifying
sources of flooding. Each city must come out/ prepare a roadmap to make cities
flood free. Water supply department in the urban local bodies , must be renamed
as Department of water management, so as to make them holistically look at
the rainwater as a resource rather than as a problem and work on the agenda
of retaining water rather than draining rainwater. The approach should enable
the department to graduate from water supply agency to that of water
––

26. management authority. Road network of the city must be redesigned and
redefined, so as to retain the rainwater at source rather than draining it into
ponds and rivers. Cities must be asked to review and revise its building bye-
laws and development controls, so as to minimize the volume of hard surfaces
and increase the quantity of porous spaces. Developing urban forest must be
made as priority area in the growth and development strategy of cities and
towns.
Besides defining a realistic and rational policy, Government of India must
launch a dedicated mission for making cities flood free and empower cities by
providing necessary technical guidance and financial support to achieve the
defined goal. Making cities flood free, will not only empower cities to save lot of
financial resources of the urban local bodies but will also minimize the loss to
the local communities and urban infrastructures. Minimising floods, in
addition to promote safety, will also enable cities to overcome the
problems/challenges related to energy, climate change, global warming, poverty,
pollution, slums, unplanned development. In addition, flood free cities will help
India in meeting the agenda defined in SDG11, mandating to make Cities and
Communities- inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable besides making cities
great places to live and work.
6 Messages ;
Having a water base of merely 4%, for catering to 17.78% global population
and largest livestock of 500 million, India remains most water stressed
country in the world,
Considered as elixir of life , Water needs to be preserved , conserved and
valued as a gift of nature and not treated as a commodity to be traded ,
misused, abused and wasted.
Universal and unhindered access to, adequate quantity and quality of water,
must be recognized as the fundamental right of every Indian.
No Indian should be discriminated regarding universal access to potable
water, based on sex, age, caste, creed, colour, economic and social status.
Rain water shall be treated as a local resource rather than a problem. Focus
shall be on retaining storm water within the city rather than draining outside
the city.
All urban planning, development and management strategies shall focus on
making cities flood free.
 Making cities safe against floods shall be embedded as integral part of urban
planning process and practice.
Water supply wing operating in ULBs shall be renamed as Department of
Water Management for shifting the focus from water supply to water
management.
––

27. Rainfall management must be made community-led movement rather than
government managed program by involving local communities as an equal
and active partner.
Dedicated Mission focusing on must launched on priority by Governmnet of
India.
Making cities safe and flood free shall remain vital for urban India to
achieve the agenda defined in SDGs and overcoming major challenges of
growth and development faced by cities.
7 References;
UNEP; Nature-based Solutions can generate up to 32 million new jobs by 2030,
but investments in skills needed; December 6,2024
https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/nature-based-solutions-
can-generate-32-million-new-jobs-2030
•ILO; ILO-UNEP-IUCN report ;Decent Work in Nature-Based Solutions 2024:
Unlocking jobs through investment /skills and nature-based infrastructure
•From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ; Nature-based solutions
•Environment and Ecology ;What is nature; http://environment-ecology.com/what-
is-nature/108-what-is-nature.html
•IUCN Library;portals.iucn.org WCC-2016-Res-069-EN Defining Nature-based
Solutions
•UNESCO; Water for peace and Prosperity;2024 United Nations World Water
Development Report
•Rajagopal Aditi; What are sponge cities and how do they work; Nature and
Environment, Copenhagen; March 1,2024; https://www.dw.com/en/what-are-
sponge-cities-and-how-do-they-work/a-68407366
Lee J -Yong ; A Review of Urban Flooding: Causes, Impacts, and Mitigation
Strategies; Division of Geology and Geophysics, Kangwon National 30
September 2023. pp. 489-50
Rentschler J; Paolo A & Stephane H; Tracking urban flood exposure: Global
trends since 1985; October 04, 2023
Sustainability directory; Urban Flooding; Sept3,2025
; https://lifestyle.sustainability-directory.com/term/urban-flooding/
Weber Anna: What Is Urban Flooding? Expert Blog ; NRDC; January 15, 2019;
https://www.nrdc.org/bio/anna-weber/what-urban-flooding
 Brownfield Joshua; Strategies for Flood Mitigation and Adaptatio- Causes,
Impacts and Mitigation Strategies; https://www.garrisonflood.com/blog/urban-
flooding-causes-impacts-and-mitigation-strateg y
––

28. Image; Urban Flooding from Hurricane Harvey-USA Source;: Staff Sgt. Daniel J.
Martinez, US Air National Guard
––