Kolhapur MVA corporators flag delay in floodline re-survey

Kolhapur: Corporators from the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC) on Thursday alleged that no progress has been made on the re-survey of red and blue floodline, despite a committee being formed four months ago to address the issue.

At a press conference, the corporators said nearly 1,600 hectares of the city fall under the blue and red floodline zones, significantly restricting development. They said unresolved merger issues had further limited space for the city’s expansion.

Leader of opposition in KMC Rajesh Latkar said state govt had constituted a committee on Feb 10, 2026, to conduct a re-survey and recommend remedial measures. The panel was expected to submit a comprehensive draft report within two months. “Work was supposed to be undertaken on a war footing, but even after four months, neither has the committee met nor has any survey begun. This is severely impacting Kolhapur. The city witnessed major floods in 2019 and 2021, with water levels in 2021 rising six inches higher than in 2019. Despite this, the water resources department has continued to rely on the same blue floodline data. A re-survey is mandated every four years, but that has not been carried out,” Latkar said.

Echoing similar concerns, Congress group leader in KMC Indrajit Bondre stressed the need for a fresh and comprehensive survey of flood-affected areas across the state. “Such a study should assess flood impact, including human and financial losses, while taking into account technical factors such as structural density and strength, water levels, river carrying capacity, flow direction and surrounding development,” Bondre said, adding, “Despite the urgency, the committee has not held a single meeting since its formation.”

According to the corporators, the urban development department’s committee has been tasked with conducting a re-survey, preparing redevelopment plans for govt buildings in flood-prone areas, facilitating construction approvals through transferable development rights (TDR) for old societies and drafting comprehensive development control regulations. They, however, alleged that no action had been taken so far.

Several MVA corporators, including Rahul Mane, Pratap Jadhav, Amar Samarth, Praveen Sonawane, Rigveda Mane, Deepal Ghatge, Sanjay Mohite, Vinayak Phalke and Subhash Buchde, were present at the press conference.