Every monsoon, Indian cities face the same nightmare, flooded roads, stranded vehicles, traffic jams, and even accidents. The root cause lies in poor road and drainage design.

The Indian Roads Congress (IRC) and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) provide clear standards for road drainage. A proper system must quickly carry away surface and underground water without causing erosion or flooding. Key elements include road surface slopes, stormwater drains, rainwater harvesting, and pumping in low-lying areas. For example, a gentle slope of 0.5% on roads and a 2% cross slope ensures rainwater flows off the surface safely, preventing hydroplaning accidents.

The guidelines also recommend rainwater harvesting on flyovers, filter mediums in drains, and effective stormwater inlets. However, implementation is often weak. While highways and major roads may follow standards, the final responsibility lies with local authorities to connect roadside drains to the city’s main drainage system. Where this link is missing, waterlogging becomes inevitable.

India has the world’s second-largest road network, but without scientific drainage design and coordination between multiple agencies, urban flooding will continue to return every rainy season.