PIONEER NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
The Municipal Corporation of Dehradun (MCD) set up a disaster management control room in its premises on Tuesday in anticipation of an early and intense monsoon this year. With forecasts indicating the arrival of rains ahead of schedule, the risk of waterlogging, flooded roads, traffic disruptions and other potential challenges has prompted the corporation to step up preparations.
The control room was inaugurated by Dehradun municipal commissioner Namami Bansal in the presence of chief municipal health officer Dr Avinash Khanna and other officials. She stated that to ensure timely response during emergencies and improve coordination across departments, the control room has been equipped to handle complaints, manage disaster response and maintain swift communication between civic teams. A dedicated response team will monitor calls and forward complaints to relevant departments for immediate action.
She informed that the corporation has also introduced three helpline numbers for citizens to report emergencies or urban issues directly- 9286459167, 9286477117 and 18001804571. Bansal stated that these lines will remain active throughout the monsoon season and citizens are urged to use them to report problems such as waterlogging, blocked drains or other civic concerns. She stated that to strengthen on-ground response, the corporation has mobilised a team of 30 disaster response personnel, 12 de-watering pumps, two JCB machines and six tractor trolleys to deal with flood prone areas and manage road clearance swiftly.
The commissioner stated that with low lying areas in Dehradun often experiencing severe waterlogging during heavy rain, this early preparedness aims to reduce inconvenience to the public. Bansal has appealed to residents to stay alert and cooperate with civic authorities by reporting issues as they arise, enabling a faster and more effective response throughout the monsoon period.
