Cities need a defence against disasters

A sombre reminder of life's transience emerges A when one looks at the lifeless picture of a airport as the city floods due to heavy rainfall.

- AMIT KAPOOR & BIBEK DEBROY

Of late, India has borne witness to multiple incidents of loss of life and damage to critical infrastructure due to extreme weather conditions.

In the last few months alone, the walls and pillars of several airports (including in the National Capital) have collapsed due to heavy rainfall. Such instances beg the question whether our smart cities have a climate-smart and disaster-resilient infrastructure to ensure the safety of the general public.

Extreme climate events increase disaster risk, asset loss, and service disruptions, potentially compromising existing infrastructure. Further, damage or disruption to infrastructure within urban systems can lead to cascading risks and widespread service interruptions across regions. Undoubtedly, our cities must enhance their essential municipal functions to address the crises that disrupt mobility during heat waves and heavy rainfall. However, as buildings start to crumble under the weight of climatic conditions, one begins to realise the urgency of having climate- and disaster-resilient infrastructure. It becomes all the more imperative as India is a founding member of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), which aims to strengthen the climate and disaster resilience of critical infrastructure.