The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has taken various measures for flood preparedness and emergency response on the National Highways during the monsoon season.

Adopting a multi-pronged approach to provide effective solutions in both hilly and plain regions, the NHAI is working in close coordination with other executing agencies, local authorities, and administration to quickly mobilise machinery and manpower to the flood/land slide-affected locations, the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways said.

In addition, to ensure the availability of resources for effective disaster preparedness, the highways authority is mapping the availability of key machinery for timely deployment.

Further, to avoid water logging or flood-like situations on the National Highways, the NHAI, along with state irrigation department, is undertaking joint inspections to ensure that flow of any running channel/stream is not hindered by a newly constructed highway.

The ministry also said that on the National Highways passing through urban areas, adequate pumping arrangements would be made on sections wherever there are chances of water logging.

Leveraging the technology, the Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS), along with Rajmaargyatra app, shall be used to disseminate information regarding any hindrance on the stretch to National Highway users.

For the hilly regions, a dedicated emergency response team equipped with adequate manpower and machinery has been mobilised at each landslide-prone site in close coordination with District Administration. “This will help to immediately clear the muck from the National Highway to enable 24×7 connectivity and provide safe & smooth movement of traffic. Temporary barriers and warning signs have been installed at each landslide-prone area to facilitate safe traffic movement.”

For the implementation of preventive measures, vulnerable locations are identified that are likely to be severely affected like flood/landslide/rock fall prone areas, sinking zones, etc.

NHAI officials are inspecting various structures which have a history of flooding to identify damage to abutments/ piers of the bridges. Warning signals will be installed at vulnerable locations to caution road users, the statement from the ministry read.

At locations where the National Highway might get blocked for traffic movement due to huge landslides, an alternative diversion plan has been chalked out with the District Administration. Also, geotechnical instrumentation, including real-time monitoring at a few vulnerable slopes and tunnels, is implemented as pilot.