Mapping of Gundar river with UAVs begins

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles will be used for ‘Photogrammetric Mapping’ for Flood Preparedness under the Tamil Nadu Innovation Initiative scheme by the State Planning Commission towards mitigation of damage caused by floods and the resultant loss of life and property. The damage caused by floods is mainly due to failure of proper upkeep of water courses in the river basins and water sheds.

The initial work on the project commenced during August 2017 in Cuddalore district. The mapping exercise for Madurai is mainly for Gundar and Vaigai rivers, which is expected to be completed in two to three months. The mapping exercise will be extended for Gundar river up to the Gulf of Mannar where the river meets the sea. This necessitates mapping of Gundar river basin in Virudhunagar, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram districts too.

State Revenue Minister RB Udayakumar, Commissioner of Revenue Administration K Satyagopal, Revenue Secretary B Chandramohan, Madurai Collector K Veera Raghava Rao witnessed the work of Photogrammetric Mapping for Flood Preparedness at Gundar river in Thirali village.

Currently the water course data is dependent on the field sketches which were prepared several decades ago. The images of UAVs can provide valuable inputs in identifying location for dams, missing links of canals and possible opportunities for interlinking of water courses.