International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056 Volume: 04 Issue: 11 | Nov -2017 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072 Guidelines for future community housing in flood prone areas of Kashmir Ar. Hakim Ali Reza School of Architecture & Design, Manipal University Jaipur, Rajasthan, India ---------------------------------------------------------------------***--------------------------------------------------------------------- Abstract - This research redefines vernacular housing Table-1: Causes, observations, impacts and possible typologies and landscape for natural disaster responsive solutions to prevent and mitigate floods urbanization of Kashmir. The paper gives an overview of all Causes Impacts Observations Solutions the major and minor changes during the evolution of Srinagar that have been causing floods in the past or are having a Topography Himalayan water Many a times tower consisting of clouds entering potential to do so in the future and also suggests guidelines to glaciers, snow, into the valley are mitigate floods in existing as well as upcoming cities. The rainfall & not able to escape lakes/wetlands has because of high guidelines will be in the form of planning criteria for different high potential of hills & go on layouts, use of new materials and adaptive building flooding being hiked accumulating & by increasing ultimately burst construction techniques which have been derived from the number and with high rainfall vernacular planning and architectural vocabulary to ensure intensity of extreme intensity storms because of sometimes more social acceptance along with environmental sustainability. climate change. than 100 mm/hr. High Innumerable Extreme Key Words: Natural Disaster Responsive urbanization, groundwater sources of water precipitation level maintain a high further raise Planning, Adaptive building construction techniques, water level to just ground water Social Acceptance, Sustainability 2’-3’ below ground level reducing the level in low lying already low areas like civil lines. water-soaking 1.INTRODUCTION capacity of soil. Sole narrow Narrow gorge at The narrow outlet The problems of Srinagar City and its environs constituting outflow Baramulla forming at Baramulla can’t channel only outlet to a huge take heavy the metropolitan area are becoming more and more critical volume of water outflow during from various floods and creates with the increased pace of urbanization causing population perennial sources a back flow of outburst and deterioration in existing level of services. The controls and limits flood waters the outflow of hampering problems are assuming serious propositions in all aspect of Jhelum. drainage. urban living and are extremely critical in major sectors of Location City proper The city expanded sewerage, drainage, traffic and transportation, housing for developed in and into the wetlands urban poor and conservation of natural and cultural around areas which that acted as were either low sponges for flood heritage. Adding to the chaos is the frequent flooding that lying or reclaimed waters brings the summer capital to a standstill. marshes very close to Jhelum. J&K in India experienced one of the worst floods in the past 60 years, during first week of September 2014, due to unprecedented and intense rains affecting around 22 lac people all over the state. The satellite based rapid flood assessment report by collaboration of national Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC), Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and Department of Ecology, Environment and Remote Sensing (DEERS) revealed that the floods were a result of high rainfall in the catchments over short period of time, which were of the intensity of cloud bursts and a combined effect of the extreme event due to climate change and less capacity of the drainage system that failed to hold Fig -1: Kashmir valley surrounded by mountains on all the quantum of water and it overflowed, which ultimately sides [1] led to floods. Kashmir is now very vulnerable to flooding and experts point out that the beautiful valley in the Himalayas is High river bed Entire city of A blockade or flooding far too easily nowadays. Some causes, observations Srinagar is below breach anywhere and impacts along with possible solutions are mentioned in Jhelum’s high flood along river or level (HFL). Even flood spill channel the table below : old city, which is causes inundation. comparatively higher than uptown Srinagar, is below HFL. © 2017, IRJET | Impact Factor value: 6.171 | ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal | Page 269 International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056 Volume: 04 Issue: 11 | Nov -2017 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072 Fig -3: Conceptual sketches showing Straightening of Jhelum & its impact on the embankments (Source: Author) Weak Though Embankments of Strengthening of embankments embankments along Jhelum give in embankments & river are around 10- during heavy constructing Fig -2: Schematic section showing difference between HFL 15 meters wide, but rainfalls causing temporary considering that sudden flooding embankments : & ground level in old & new settlements (Source: Author) they are earthen of city, most of Strengthening of with just an inner which lies below embankments using stone lining on some the HFL of proper enduring stretches inside city Jhelum. materials & at places High run-off The Kashmir region More than 90% of that too done for raising them so that has recorded a 10% rain falling on riverfront low lying areas loss of its dense hard and solid beautification, these around them are forest since 1992. glaciers as well as embankments are safe. Thus the ability of rocks flows down very vulnerable to forests to retain as run-off. breaches. Protecting the water has been Incessant rains historic riverfront reduced causing may also induce architecture by more rain water to melting of glaciers guarding the flow directly into and add to heritage with Jhelum River ferocity of floods. removable causing flooding. embankment walls of precast concrete Barriers to Several barriers in There are at least or steel panels. water flow the form of ill 7old-fashioned & constructed bridges worn-out bridges Also the bunds and encroachments which stay put (embankments) choke the even when they (earthen ones) along waterways & are not being Nallas (causeways) hamper the free used. must be raised and flow of water strengthened as delaying drainage as Removing them these low lying well as causing would be very bunds are always pollution. unethical although prone to breach, and there is a need to heavy losses are remove numerous admitted through encroachments & them. newly constructed bridges over the river as well as the flood spill channel. Meandering Jhelum flows along a Serpentine path of Straightening of course of highly serpentine Jhelum reduces the course : Jhelum course creating rate of flow of Economically more loops, vulnerable to water & also viable than diverting siltation and increases pressure which would cost breaches, many of that water exerts around 8500 crores. which exist inside on embankments the city. especially at Will reduce turning points. pressure on embankments & aid faster draining of water preventing threat of prolonged inundation to a great extent. Loops of the existing river could buy Fig -4: Conceptual construction of removable more time by being inundated first embankments (Source: Author) before other parts of the city get flooded and can also be Siltation Tons of silt In absence of any De siltation : developed into deposition has conservation recreational areas occurred in Jhelum measures, Jhelum Basic short-term for various water due to rapid has lost around measure for sports & other degradation of its 43% of its controlling floods. related tourist catchments carrying capacity activities. reducing the flood causing blockage De-siltation in Valley routing efficiency of of its lone outflow Floor Lakes is Jhelum's outflow channel in required as rise & channel and its Baramulla, posing fall of level in these charge carrying a risk of floods in have a cause & effect © 2017, IRJET | Impact Factor value: 6.171 | ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal | Page 270 International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056 Volume: 04 Issue: 11 | Nov -2017 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072 capacity from 35000 valley. relationship with cusecs in 1975 to discharge at point of Construction of 20000 cusecs at outfall. communication present. network & other Restoring & developmental Filling up of Many side water Filling up of upgrading activities associated waterways canals, principally Nallah Mar in channels : with land use Nallah Mar, Tsunt 1970’s in a road- Restoring the change add to Kol & Rainawari, widening scheme existing canals and vulnerability. used for cutting through flood spill channels. transportation, also much of the significant land use Floods caused New wetlands : helped in draining historical fiber of Improvement in change to Built-up extensive damage low lying marshy the city choked flood channels to by about 30% in not only in villages With the city having areas of city. the canal systems hold water beyond extent within 10 km but even in city sprawled beyond and spelled 35000 cusecs with buffer of Srinagar areas that were bye-pass road, flood Introduction of ecological doom current capacity of (DEERS) from 1964 previously part of plains of Jhelum motorized transport for Brari Nambal 15000 cusecs by a to 2012. flood plain of must also