Ivory Tower: Jalandhar prof’s ‘Roadex Trellies’ offers sustainable solution for water management

A Jalandhar-based professor’s water management project, ‘Roadex Trellies’, has been creating waves in scientific circles across India and abroad. Devised by Dr Neetu Verma, Dean of Sciences and Head, PG Department of Physics at Kanya Maha Vidyalaya (KMV), Jalandhar, the innovative model has been lauded by the Union Education Ministry’s Innovation Council and is now being considered for adoption by industries, with discussions already underway.

Patented in January 2024, the project aims to provide a sustainable model for rainwater management and preservation. It focuses on preventing water wastage and enabling clearance of water directly at the source, eliminating the need for costly post-treatment processes. The system functions through a water ejector and sensors installed on roads, ensuring timely and efficient water removal.

Dr Verma, who serves as Innovation Ambassador and Vice-President of the Institution Innovation Council under the Ministry of Education’s Innovation Cell, has an extensive record of academic and innovation leadership. She has been Coordinator, Department of Biotechnology, Star Status Grant (Government of India) since 2020; Coordinator – Innovative and Smart Teaching since 2014; Co-Coordinator, DBT Star Status Grant (2016–2020); and Co-Coordinator, FIST Grant Committee since 2014. She has also served as Secretary, Vikram Sarabhai Science Society under VIPNET – Vigyaan Prasar, Department of Science and Technology (DST) since 2016, and is the Founding Head and Professor In-charge of the Innovation Hub since March 2019.

Dr Verma’s water management project presents a system and method for automatically operating a stagnate water ejector, offering an innovative solution to urban water logging.

How it works

Explaining the concept, Dr Verma said, “Simply put, the project is a water ejector based on sensors. Its prime objective is to avoid water logging and ensure immediate removal of water in a way that prevents pollution, reduces wastage and facilitates groundwater replenishment through clean water.”

The invention incorporates multiple water sensors mounted at predefined intervals along roads to detect the location and level of water logging. These sensors use predefined light emitters to indicate varying water levels. An automatic gear system positioned below the roadside is triggered according to the detected water level, activating components between the gear system and a reservoir to pump out the water.

A roadside trellis (mesh mechanism) works alongside the gear system to filter out stones, paper and other impurities, ensuring that only clean water flows underground.

To enhance water flow, a half-cut inverted pipe installed below the road activates automatically upon detecting increased water levels. The pipe rotates to channel the surface water efficiently into the underground reservoir.

In another embodiment, an automatic shutter system positioned on multiple trails beneath the road is triggered upon detecting a higher water level. The shutter opens to direct logged water into the reservoir through the trails.

The system also includes a pumping motor connected to the automatic gear mechanism. When water reaches a critical third level, the motor activates to pump water immediately to the reservoir and simultaneously triggers an alarm to alert emergency service providers.

Dr Verma’s ‘Roadex Trellies’ model thus presents a forward-looking, sustainable approach to tackling water logging and wastage—blending environmental responsibility with cutting-edge engineering for effective water management.