Imagine that the advanced survey conducted by Panaji Smart City Development (IPSCDL) on the city's topography, stormwater drainage network, and mapping of street utilities is nearing completion. This survey is part of the 'Urban-Act' project, which aims to systematically understand Panaji's topography and drainage infrastructure, ultimately creating a future-proof database for climate-resilient urban planning.

An official mentioned that almost 98% of the work had been completed, with only the ground verification still in progress, expected to be finished soon. IPSCDL collaborated with Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ India) to execute the project.

IPSCDL explained that this mapping initiative will offer a detailed, real-time view of critical infrastructure, such as trees along roads, footpaths, and other utilities, as well as contour data crucial for addressing urban challenges. The survey data will populate a comprehensive city database, which will support the creation of predictive models for climate-resilient infrastructure planning.

The organization added that this data will be used to simulate urban scenarios and potential future climate impacts, offering decision-makers valuable insights to enhance the durability of infrastructure.

Sanjit Rodrigues, CEO of IPSCDL, stated that the goal is to have a comprehensive drainage map for Panaji by the end of the project. He emphasised that any further work on drains should be based on the criticality and needs indicated through this scientifically captured and physically validated database.