IMD eyes Nandi Hills for Bengaluru's first Doppler weather radar

IMD eyes Nandi Hills for Bengaluru's first Doppler weather radar

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is now looking to set up Bengaluru's first Doppler weather radar atop Nandi Hills.

Karnataka does not have a Doppler weather radar and depends mostly on radars in Goa, Hyderabad, and Chennai. With a Doppler weather radar in Bengaluru, forecasts of rain and thunderstorms are likely to be more specific and accurate.

The IMD has been scouting for land for the radar on an elevated, unobstructed location for the past several years. N Puviarasan, head of IMD Bengaluru, told Moneycontrol that the state government has identified Nandi Hills to set up the Doppler weather radar.

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"Soil testing is now on. The state government has agreed to hand over the land. But fort entrance is narrow, so there is skepticism about whether  the equipment can pass through. Also, if the soil testing results are not conducive to setting up a Doppler radar atop Nandi Hills, we may opt for Yelahanka Air Force Station."

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He said the location will be finalised by the first week of August. "Other places in the city are at low elevation or densely populated, which is not feasible for the installation of the Doppler weather radar."

It may be recalled that Union Minister of State for MSME and Labour and Employment and Bengaluru North MP Shobha Karandlaje had requested Union Minister of Science and Technology Jitendra Singh for the installation of a Doppler weather Radar in Bengaluru. Separately, Vijayapura MLA Basangouda Patil Yatnal also recently wrote to Singh, requesting the installation of a Doppler Weather Radar in Vijayapura.

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Responding to Karandlaje, Singh said: "I have been informed by IMD that one C-Band Doppler weather radar having an operational range of 250 km is going to be installed in Bengaluru this year itself to strengthen the early warning system, benefiting numerous stakeholders and the public. The site for the radar installation has already been identified and discussions are ongoing with the state government authorities towards acquiring it."

"The proposed C-Band Doppler weather radar in Bengaluru will not only help in protecting the state infrastructure and state economies during natural disasters but also enhance the accuracy of weather forecasts and provide early warnings of severe weather conditions," said Singh.

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