What Indian Cities Can Learn From Chennai Floods

As heavy rains continue to lash Tamil Nadu, over 70 people have died and nearly 10,000 have been evacuated so far. Many part of the southern state have come to a standstill, including its capital Chennai. Apart from causing human loss, floods have a huge impact on a country's economy; and in all likelihood the costs involved are greater than traditional estimates. The economy of a country is dependent on continuous flow of commuting and freight trips. When these stop for a while, the functioning of the economy freezes, too.

A look at how Indian cities can handle floods better:

While floods have been a major problem for long in Tamil Nadu, major canals and reservoirs have not been able to handle heavy rains without overflowing. There have cases of sewage mixed rainwater flooding households during floods. And, Tamil Nadu is not the only state that faces these problems. This indicates poor urban planning. According to a video on Marginal Revolution University, India's success in handling water pollution is lower than its success in handling air pollution.

In many parts of the world, urban infrastructure is equipped to handle floods. This is the reason why they don't come to a standstill because of excessive rainfall.  Tyler Cowen, a George Mason University professor who gives India-specific lectures at Marginal Revolution University, an online education platform, says Indian cities should improve their drainage system to handle floods better.

Urban policy makers also argue that tall buildings in marshlands and low lying areas, where it is difficult to drain out water, are also a cause of floods. While this is seen as an argument against allowing tall buildings in Chennai, Mumbai and other major Indian cities, this happens due to restriction on height of buildings in cities' central business districts. If tall buildings are allowed in parts of a city where the infrastructure is capable of handling greater population, real estate developers would not have to build tall buildings in areas where the infrastructure does not support it.

Another major reason why floods impact Indian cities badly is encroachment on public infrastructure. In Chennai, for instance, it is pointed out that low-income households encroach on Otteri Nullah and Captain Cotton Canal, blocking the flow of rainwater. While it may seem that there is a scarcity of urban land, there are large parcels of government land that remains idle in many Indian cities. By building homes on such parcels, the government will be able to provide homes to more people, and prevent incalculable harm such encroachment does.