Sambalpur Gets India's 51st Doppler Weather Radar as Mission Mausam Expands
India commissions its 51st Doppler Weather Radar at Sambalpur, Odisha, with about 40 more planned under Mission Mausam to expand forecasting and early warnings.
India's weather observation network expanded on Tuesday with the virtual inauguration of the country's 51st Doppler Weather Radar at Sambalpur, Odisha. Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences Dr. Jitendra Singh opened the facility in the presence of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
The Sambalpur radar is the third in Odisha, following installations at Gopalpur and Paradip. It is expected to improve weather monitoring across Western Odisha and adjoining areas of Southern Jharkhand, Northern Chhattisgarh, and parts of North Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Singh said the national network has grown from 14 Doppler Weather Radars in 2014 to 51 now. Around 40 more are planned under Mission Mausam, which would take the total to about 81. He said the expansion is part of efforts to strengthen India's ability to observe, understand and respond to extreme weather events, particularly in regions vulnerable to thunderstorms, lightning and heavy rainfall.
The Minister said the Sambalpur radar would help bridge an observational gap in the region, giving meteorological agencies better tools to track weather systems and issue timely information to authorities and communities.
Dr. Singh also stressed that preparedness cannot rely on radar infrastructure alone. Automatic Weather Stations and rain gauges are being set up across Odisha, including at district and school-level locations, while radio sonde stations and microwave radiometers are being deployed to build a multi-layered observation network. The aim, he said, is more localised and precise forecasting that can support agriculture, disaster management, power and energy systems.
Further radar installations are planned for Balasore, Puri and Bhubaneswar, he said, with automated weather monitoring also being extended to regional centres and adjoining areas including Ranchi, Kolkata, Jagdalpur and Patna.
Referring to the 150th anniversary of the India Meteorological Department, Dr. Singh said India's meteorological capabilities are increasingly serving as a regional resource. In the spirit of 'Neighbour First' and 'Vishwa Bandhu Bharat', IMD provides weather, cyclone and flash-flood forecasting and early warning support to 13 neighbouring countries.
He thanked the Odisha government for its cooperation in establishing the Sambalpur radar, describing the state as "weather-ready, climate-resilient" and underlining the value of combining its disaster preparedness experience with modern scientific capabilities.
Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Dr. T. Srinivasa Kumar Tummala, appreciated the state government for facilitating land acquisition and construction for the radar, and said the expanded observational data network would provide important inputs for agriculture, disaster management and power management across Odisha.
The programme was attended by Rajya Sabha Member Manmohan Samal, MLA Jayanarayan Mishra, Odisha State Minister Suresh Pujari, IMD Director General Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, and senior officials of the Union and State Governments.