New Delhi, July 3 : The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has initiated proactive steps to ensure preparedness in areas prone to floods and landslides to enable emergency response as the monsoon has advanced across India, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said on Wednesday.

NHAI is working in close coordination with local authorities and administration to quickly mobilise machinery and manpower for flood or landslide-affected locations. In addition, to ensure availability of resources for effective disaster preparedness, the NHAI is mapping the availability of key machinery for timely deployment.

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

Recently, on Delhi-Katra Expressway and other projects, a special drive was conducted in consultation with the irrigation department, according to the Ministry's statement.

In the case of National Highways passing through urban areas, adequate pumping arrangements will be made on sections wherever there are chances of water logging. Leveraging technology, Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS), along with Rajmargyatra app will be used to disseminate information regarding any hindrance on the stretch to National Highway users, the statement added.

In hilly regions, dedicated emergency response teams equipped with sufficient manpower and machinery have been mobilised at each landslide prone site in close coordination with the district administration.

This will help to immediately clear the rubble from the National Highway to enable 24x7 connectivity and provide safe & smooth movement of traffic.

NHAI officials are also inspecting various structures which have a history of flooding to identify damage on abutments/ piers of the bridges.

Warning signs will be installed at vulnerable locations to caution road users.

In cases where there is a possibility of a national highway getting blocked due to a landslide, an alternative diversion plan has been chalked out with the district administration.

Besides, Geotechnical Instrumentation including real time monitoring at a few vulnerable slopes and tunnels is being implemented as a pilot project.

/IANS