BWRC Demands High-Capacity Drainage to Prevent Surat Creek Floods

Surat, Gujarat – In the aftermath of this year’s damaging creek floods that swamped low‑lying areas of Surat, the Brackish Water Research Centre (BWRC) has sounded a clarion call for urgent, technical solutions. The NGO-based think tank yesterday presented a 14‑point blueprint demanding a high‑capacity storm drainage network, comprehensive desilting, and the removal of all man‑made obstructions from the city’s creeks — steps they warn are critical to averting an annual deluge.

“We’ve made representations to the Surat Municipal Corporation and the Irrigation Department almost every year,” said MHS Shaikh, BWRC president. “But they continue to treat creek flooding as an afterthought. Today, Surat pays the price with damaged homes, disrupted livelihoods, and avoidable suffering.”

Thirteen Years of Repeated Warnings

BWRC’s recommendations, already submitted to the newly formed creek‑flood prevention committee, underscore a decade of inaction:

Desilt All Creeks: Commission expert agencies for end‑to‑end creek surveys and dredging to restore original carrying capacity.

Geo‑Datic Flood Mapping: Engage the Space Application Center, Ahmedabad, to chart flood zones and drainage pathways using satellite remote sensing.

High‑Capacity Storm Drains: Construct large‑bore drains beneath underutilized irrigation canals to channel creek water directly out to sea.

Creek Network Mapping: Create red‑line/blue‑line maps (à la Tapi River) of all creeks, integrate with the Town Planning (TP) scheme, and publish publicly.

Joint Capacity Audit: Mandate SMC and the Irrigation Department to calculate peak flows and design drains accordingly.

Additional measures include prohibiting construction on floodplains, reopening blocked creek sections, uniform dredging with proper slope design, and leveraging Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery to pinpoint bottlenecks — even during cloudy conditions.

Local Voices Demand Accountability

“Every monsoon, we brace for floods on the same streets,” lamented Arjun Patel, a shopkeeper in Palanpur ward. “If SMC had listened to experts years ago, we wouldn’t be patching walls and floors today.”

BWRC’s plea also targets political interference. “Some ill‑intentioned contractors are pushing big‑ticket projects without technical merit,” Shaikh warned. “We must resist haste, guard public funds, and base decisions on rigorous technical reports.”

Committee Composition Under Scrutiny

A central plank of BWRC’s submission is to diversify the flood‑prevention committee. “Government officers alone cannot possess all the expertise,” said Shaikh. He urged inclusion of private hydraulic engineers, urban planners, and environmental scientists to ensure long‑term, sustainable solutions.

“No Shortcuts, No Political Pressure”

Shaikh appealed directly to the committee chair saying, ““This isn’t a box‑ticking exercise. Every suggestion must be studied thoroughly, free from political pressure. Only then can Surat break the cycle of this man‑made monsoon tragedy.”