CSIR-National Geophysical Research Institute (CSIR-NGRI)’s upgraded ‘Rain Gardens Pilot R&D Facility’, a science-driven initiative aimed at improving groundwater recharge and enhancing urban water resilience through green infrastructure, was inaugurated on Wednesday at the institute’s campus.
NGRI Research Council Chairman Shailesh Nayak inaugurated the modernized facility in the presence of Institute Director Prakash Kumar, Chief Scientist MJ Nandan and other officials. The most recent upgrade included a redesigned hydraulic arrangement to handle higher runoff volumes; optimization of engineered soil media to improve infiltration efficiency; reinforcement of inlet and outlet structures for regulated flow; and integrating geological, hydrogeological and geophysical data to improve aquifer recharge pathways.
The improvements led to an average rise in groundwater of 2.3 meters and allowed for the sustainable withdrawal of about 46,000 liters of water per day for the horticulture needs of the site. The project began in 2007 as an in-situ rainwater harvesting experiment that included nine recharge ponds and a rain garden designed to capture and infiltrate rainwater.
The system harvested nearly 200 cubic meters of water per rainfall event, leading to an increase in groundwater levels of about 1.5 meters, demonstrating the effectiveness of decentralized rain garden systems in semi-arid urban environments. The facility now serves as a demonstration and research platform for scalable urban rainwater harvesting and controlled aquifer recharge technologies, according to a news release.
Published – 19 Feb 2026 18:55 IST