Robotic & AI-assisted machinery deployed to mitigate Jorabat waterlogging crisis
The plan includes the use of robotic pipe inspection crawlers, automated sewer-cleaning systems, and floating excavators to remove accumulated debris and mud.
A file image of Jorabat flood
Jorabat, Oct 10: Even as the Kamrup (M) district administration began deploying robotic technology to tackle the ongoing flood and waterlogging crisis in Jorabat, the area was inundated once again on Wednesday following a brief spell of rain.
Kamrup (M) District Commissioner Sumit Sattawan had earlier in the day inspected the critical Jorabat tri-junction area, where National Highways 27 and 6 converge. The visit marked the launch of a new initiative employing robotic and AI-assisted machinery to identify and clear blockages inside underground drainage and culvert systems – a task long considered unmanageable through traditional methods.
The plan includes the use of robotic pipe inspection crawlers, automated sewer-cleaning systems, and floating excavators to remove accumulated debris and mud. A Chennai-based technical team has been engaged to widen the drains and deepen sections up to 12 feet to restore natural water flow.
Sattawan, who was present to witness a live demonstration of the machinery, was reportedly forced to leave the site after the area flooded again following a short rain shower.
Water submerged large sections of the road, disrupted traffic, and flooded roadside shops. Once the water receded, nearly two feet of debris and sludge remained strewn across the highway.
Jorabat continues to suffer from unscientific hill-cutting on the Meghalaya side, encroachments on natural drainage channels, and design flaws in the culvert system of the highway. The low height of the culvert at the Jorabat tri-junction remains a significant engineering challenge, obstructing the smooth flow of rainwater. This causes debris to accumulate underneath, leading to overflow even after brief rainfall.
“Unless the culvert height is raised, no technology can offer permanent relief,” said a local resident.
Despite the setback, the local community has welcomed the administration’s latest initiative. “For the first time, the district administration has shown genuine intent by deploying modern technology and beginning work from the root level,” said Siwaji PD Jaiswal, president of the Jorabat Unnayan Samity. “We appreciate this proactive step and hope it continues until a lasting solution is achieved. The people of Jorabat have suffered enough – now it’s time for results.”
As Kamrup (M) gears up for a fresh round of cleaning using robotic systems, locals are watching closely to see whether technology can finally succeed where years of manual and mechanical efforts have failed.