**Executive Summary**
This report, submitted to the Lok Sabha on April 1, 2026, addresses the status of meteorological and seismic infrastructure in Warangal, Telangana. It clarifies that a dedicated Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) for Warangal is not required due to existing coverage from Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam. The document details the government's multi-layered early warning systems, digital dissemination platforms, and the launch of "Mission Mausam" to improve climate resilience.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Infrastructure and Radar Coverage**
* Warangal district is categorized under Seismic Zone II (low hazard), and consequently, no seismic microzonation studies have been initiated.
* The district currently operates five Automatic Weather Stations/Automatic Rain Gauges located at Hanamkonda, Mamnoor-KVK, Siddhapur, PTO Warangal, and Mulugu.
* Warangal is effectively covered by S-Band DWRs in Hyderabad (120–150 km away) and Visakhapatnam, which have a radial range of approximately 400 km.
* The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) determined there is no requirement for a local DWR installation in Warangal given existing radar inputs for nowcasts and bulletins.
**Early Warning and Dissemination Systems**
* The MoES utilizes an end-to-end GIS-based Decision Support System (DSS) for detecting and monitoring weather hazards nationwide.
* Public alerts are disseminated via mobile applications including MAUSAM, MEGHDOOT, DAMINI, UMANG, and the SACHET App.
* The Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) and digital channels (SMS, e-mail) provide nowcasting and forecasting alerts to registered users and local authorities.
* District Collectors are notified via direct e-mail and WhatsApp through coordination with the Telangana Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC).
* Gram Panchayat-level forecasting is facilitated through digital platforms like e-Gramswaraj and e-Manchitra.
**Forecasting Services**
* The India Meteorological Department (IMD) provides a range of forecasts: Nowcasts (3 hours), Short Range (3 days), Medium Range (4–10 days), Extended Range (1 month), and Seasonal (monsoon).
* Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS) monitor severe weather including cyclones, heatwaves, cold waves, thunderstorms, and lightning.
* Targeted dissemination is provided for specific sectors such as Aviation, Agriculture, Defence, Tourism, Railways, and Rural/Urban industries.
**Climate Resilience Initiatives**
* "Mission Mausam" has been launched to create a "weather-ready and climate-smart" nation.
* The "Climate Hazard & Vulnerability Atlas of India" has been developed to help identify hotspots for thirteen hazardous meteorological events.
* IMD collaborates with state governments to expand observation networks, including lightning detectors and wind profiler systems, based on technical feasibility and funding.
**Impact Analysis**
**Local Authorities and District Collectors**
**Impact**
Authorities receive real-time, direct communication and impact-based forecast bulletins to manage local mitigation efforts.
**Action Required**
Maintain coordination with the Telangana Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) and utilize direct digital notifications to implement timely mitigation measures.
**General Public and Rural Communities**
**Impact**
Access to specialized weather information is provided at the block and Panchayat levels through mobile apps and community radio.
**Action Required**
Utilize designated mobile applications (e.g., MAUSAM, DAMINI) and the Mausamgram portal to monitor weather alerts and lightning risks.
**State Government and SDMAs**
**Impact**
These stakeholders gain access to high-resolution dynamical models and the Climate Hazard & Vulnerability Atlas for long-term planning.
**Action Required**
Use the provided vulnerability atlas as a reference for climate-resilient infrastructure planning and collaborate with IMD for future observational network expansion.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES): The nodal ministry responsible for developing advanced early warning systems, meteorological infrastructure, and earthquake monitoring in India.
India Meteorological Department (IMD): The principal agency for meteorological observations and weather forecasting, responsible for managing portals like Mausamgram and the Climate Hazard & Vulnerability Atlas of India.
Mission Mausam: A national initiative launched to make India a 'weather-ready and climate-smart' nation through enhanced observation and forecasting capabilities.
Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS): A comprehensive framework comprising observational networks and GIS-based Decision Support Systems for monitoring severe weather events like cyclones and heatwaves.
Warangal, Telangana: The central location of interest for the assessment of seismic hazard zones, meteorological infrastructure coverage, and the requirement for Doppler Weather Radar.
Ministry of Earth Sciences
PARLIAMENT QUESTION: DOPPLER WEATHER
RADAR
Posted On: 01 APR 2026 11:43AM by PIB Delhi
Warangal city in Telangana State falls under Seismic Zone II and is close to Zone III as per the Seismic
Zoning Map of India published by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), indicating relatively low seismic
hazard. Accordingly, no seismic microzonation studies for Warangal is taken up as yet.
Advanced meteorological infrastructure is operational in the Warangal district of Telangana. Five
Automatic Weather Stations/Automatic Rain Gauges (Hanamkonda, Mamnoor-KVK, Siddhapur, PTO
Warangal, and Mulugu) are operational in the district. There is no Doppler Weather Radar (DWR)
installed in the Warangal district. The nearest operational S-Band DWRs are installed at Hyderabad and
Visakhapatnam. Their radial coverage extends up to about 400 km, covering Warangal and the
surrounding areas and enabling monitoring of regions without local installations.
Further, Warangal district lies approximately 120–150 km from the DWR in Hyderabad, thereby falling
well within its effective coverage range. During extreme weather events, nowcasts and impact-based
forecast bulletins are generated and disseminated to stakeholders using DWR inputs. In view of this, there
is no requirement/proposal for the installation of a dedicated Doppler Weather Radar for Warangal.
The Government adopts various dissemination mechanisms to ensure timely communication, including
alerts and warnings, reaches all concerned, enabling local authorities, State Governments, State Disaster
Management Authorities (SDMAs), the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the Ministry
of Home Affairs (MHA), and the public to take appropriate mitigation measures. Further, the Ministry of
Earth Sciences (MoES) has developed advanced early warning systems for severe weather events,
including heavy rainfall, heatwaves, etc. These systems are supported by a state-of-the-art observation
network comprising surface and upper-air observations, remote sensing, high-resolution dynamical
models, and an end-to-end GIS-based Decision Support System (DSS) developed by MoES institutions,
which serves as the front end for early warning systems to enable detection and monitoring of weather
hazards across the country, including Warangal district in Telangana. The system is integrated with
modern telecommunications technologies to ensure the timely dissemination of information. Effective
dissemination methods for weather information and alerts by the MoES are as follows:
Public alerts and information are disseminated through mobile applications such as MAUSAM,
MEGHDOOT, DAMINI, and UMANG.
Digital dissemination channels include e-mail and SMS-based nowcasting and forecasting alerts to
registered users.
Alerts are issued through the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) and the SACHET App.
Information is shared via social media and mass media platforms.
District Collectors are informed through direct e-mail and WhatsApp group notifications, in
coordination with the Telangana Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) of the Police
Department.Broadcast dissemination is carried out through community radio, public broadcasting systems, and
other local communication networks.
Dissemination is also undertaken through State Government mobile applications.
Gram Panchayat-level weather forecasting (GPLWF) is facilitated through digital platforms such as
e-Gramswaraj, Meri Panchayat App, and e-Manchitra, in collaboration with the Ministry of
Panchayati Raj.
Weather information is disseminated to Pashu Sakhi and Krishi Sakhi at the block and Panchayat
levels in collaboration with the Ministry of Rural Development.
Forecasts are accessible through the Mausamgram portal of the India Meteorological Department
(IMD).
IMD continuously provides Nowcasts (up to 3 hours), Short Range (up to 3 days), Medium Range
(4–10 days), Extended Range (up to 1 month), Long Range or Seasonal (monsoon). These forecasts
are issued at sub-division, district, and city levels for rainfall, thunderstorms, and heatwaves. These
forecasts and warnings are disseminated to SDMAs, user communities (Aviation, Agriculture,
Defence, Tourism, Railways, Irrigation, Rural, Urban, Industries, etc.), and the general public.
A comprehensive Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems (MHEWS) consisting of observational
networks, forecasting models, an indigenously developed GIS-based DSS, and dissemination
mechanisms for blocks, districts, including Warangal, and subdivisions, is in place for seamless
monitoring and forecasting for severe weather systems such as cyclones, heavy rainfall, hail,
heatwaves, cold waves, thunderstorms, lightning, etc.
With respect to earthquakes, the Government has strengthened disaster preparedness through
continuous monitoring of earthquake activity and quick dissemination of earthquake information by
the National Centre for Seismology, under the Ministry, to the SDMAs and the public.
Mission Mausam has been launched by the Ministry with the objective of making Bharat a "weather-ready
and climate-smart" nation, including the State of Telangana.
IMD has also brought out a web-based "Climate Hazard & Vulnerability Atlas of India" prepared for the
thirteen most hazardous meteorological events, which cause extensive damage and economic, human, and
animal losses. The same can be accessed at https://imdpune.gov.in/hazardatlas/abouthazard.html. The atlas
provides information that may assist State Government authorities and disaster management agencies in
identifying potential hotspots and in planning appropriate measures to address extreme weather events,
including heatwaves and unseasonal rainfall, caused by climate change. The product also serves as a
reference for efforts related to climate-resilient infrastructure planning.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD), under the Ministry, routinely collaborates with State
Governments and TGDPS to expand observation networks, including Automatic Weather Stations (AWS),
upper-air stations, lightning detectors, radars, and wind profiler systems. Expansion of such infrastructure
depends on vulnerability, technical feasibility, land availability, and funding approvals. The Ministry is in
continuous endeavour of augmenting the observational network and R&D infrastructure, towards
achieving better accuracy in weather forecasting, as well as to strengthen timely early warning systems.
This information was submitted by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences and
Science & Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh in Lok Sabha on 1st April 2026.
***
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