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Build cities that beat the rains

When it rains, it pours in Indian cities. Blame it on unchecked development and the greed for land. Green cover is waning and is giving rise to global warming. Marshes and agricultural areas have been levelled and high-rise buildings have sprouted across booming metropolises that go bust when it rains. It begins with migration when millions flood cities in search of work and a better life, leaving behind their villages that have become dust bowls as farms are not tended and crops are withering. Natural reservoirs like ponds and lakes have been covered to keep pace with government plans for so-called smart cities that provide the best facilities for a growing population. This time it's Hyderabad, another IT hub that has not been able to withstand the force of the monsoon. Roads have sunk, flights have been cancelled, offices and schools have been shut in this hub.
It's the same story monsoon after monsoon, in city after city. First, it was Chennai, then Bengaluru, and now Hyderabad. These centres have little to offer by way of infrastructure. Roads turn into ponds when it rains and sewage flows into homes; public transport comes to a standstill. Urban planning is a non-starter as cities expand but are woefully unprepared for worst-case-scenarios. Disasters are, therefore, waiting to happen. In Hyderabad, a thriving technopolis, the army has been called in for relief and rescue operations. Food and water is in short supply, and people are stocking up for two more days of heavy rain. There's no dearth of tech know-how in India, but skills are not being put to use for ordinary citizens. Indian cities should go back to basics. They should regulate construction and focus on fixing creaking infrastructure before the next monsoons.