THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Marking a major milestone in strengthening weather monitoring in north Kerala, civil works have begun for the installation of an X-band Doppler weather radar (DWR) at Pulpally.
The long-pending project gained momentum in the aftermath of the Wayanad landslide, which claimed several lives and highlighted the need for enhanced weather surveillance and early warning systems in the region.
IMD director Neetha K Gopal told the TNIE that the foundation work for the radar tower has already begun, and the radar components, supplied by Bharat Electronics Limited, Karnataka, are expected to arrive by the last week of October.
“The entire facility including the radar tower, radar components and office are pre-fabricated and just need to be installed. The installation process is expected to be completed by November end. Once installed, we will conduct a series of tests, including endurance and calibration tests, to ensure that the radar functions efficiently under all conditions,” said Neetha.
As part of the endurance test, the radar will operate continuously for around 60 hours to identify and rectify any technical issues. Calibration will follow, including cloud and rainfall correlation studies to ensure data accuracy. “Only after completing all tests and the commissioning process will the radar data be made available in public domain,” she added.
Once operational, the radar will monitor rainfall within a 100-km radius, covering Wayanad and adjoining parts of Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. The system, costing `6 crore, will play a crucial role in issuing timely alerts during heavy rainfall, cloudbursts, and landslides.
The radar, being set up on land provided by Pazhassiraja College, is a joint initiative of the IMD and the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA). A 30-year lease agreement was signed between IMD, KSDMA, and the college authorities.
“The new radar will become operational soon. Kicking off the civil work itself is a major milestone. Now our efforts will be to make the system foolproof before it becomes operational,” she said.
Currently, there are two operational DWRs in Kerala — an S-band DWR in Kochi and a C-band DWR at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram. However, they cannot provide adequate coverage for the northern districts.
