Indore: Municipal Disaster Management Teams On Alert To Deal With Monsoon

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Under fire for alleged poor arrangement to deal with showers, Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) has put disaster management teams on high alert for the monsoon to address potential waterlogging and ensure smooth traffic flow across the city.

As per Verma’s directives, over 100 identified waterlogging-prone areas in the city will be continuously monitored. Dedicated zonal teams have been formed, comprising of staff from public works, drainage, electricity and workshop departments. These teams will work on immediate water evacuation, traffic management and overall disaster response to safeguard citizens during heavy rains.

Each zonal team has been equipped with essential tools and resources such as torches, ropes, shoes, spades, pickaxes, raincoats, crowbars, reflector jackets and technical support from zonal officers, sub-engineers and mechanics. Heavy machinery, including JCBs, de-watering pumps and vehicles have also been allocated to ensure swift response during emergencies.

A review meeting chaired by commissioner Shivam Verma to assess monsoon preparedness and disaster management plans was held at Smart City office on Monday. Additional commissioners Rohit Sisonia, Abhilash Mishra, Abhay Rajgaonkar, Manoj Pathak, Narendra Nath Pandey, deputy commissioner Shailesh Awasthi, executive engineer Sanjeev Srivastava, superintending engineer DR Lodhi, Vivesh Jain, workshop in-charge Manish Pandey and other officials were present at the meeting.

Verma emphasised that these teams must act immediately to drain water in case of flooding. He instructed staff to ensure that major intersections and left-turn lanes—where traffic jams are likely—remain clear by proactively removing obstructions to maintain smooth traffic flow. He also stressed that raincoats and reflector jackets must be provided to all deployed staff and that they have sufficient resources on hand.

‘The safety of our employees on duty during any disaster situation is paramount,’ he said. Verma further instructed municipal teams to maintain close coordination with the district administration’s rescue teams to ensure efficient and seamless disaster management operations. Besides, a list of designated safe locations is being prepared to relocate residents from low-lying, flood-prone settlements to safer areas when needed. This information will be shared with all zonal offices, control rooms and response teams to ensure smooth evacuation operations in case of emergency.