A city that runs on adjustment: An Outsider’s view

For the newcomer, the city took her by shock at first glance. “Gurugram did not ease newcomers in—it announced itself loudly,” she recollects.

Ritu Bhariok took the Millennium City plunge in July 2010. In her case, the plunge seemed quite literal, as Gurugram in monsoon greeted her with waterlogged roads, endless construction, haphazard traffic and a sense of permanent urgency. Yet, beneath the chaos, there was unmistakable promise, she says.

Ritu BhariokHeig, a resident of Westend Heights in DLF Phase 5, Sector 53.

For the newcomer, the city took her by shock at first glance. “Gurugram did not ease newcomers in—it announced itself loudly,” she recollects.

She settled in Westend Heights, DLF 5, an address that represented the city’s aspirational identity, given that over 15 years ago, Gurugram was expanding at a pace more rapidly than the systems could keep up.

Bhariok says that even after over 15 years, Gurugram continues to “grow without discipline, on a scale without governance”.

“It’s a city that runs on adjustment,” she says.

A legal professional by training, Bhariok advises the Federation of Affordable Home Buyers and has been closely associated with apartment owners’ associations. A practising advocate in the district and high courts, she has dealt first-hand with disputes involving developers, civic bodies and residents—experiences that shaped her understanding of the city’s deeper fault lines.

“The biggest challenge is not lack of resources,” she says, “it’s mismanagement and weak enforcement of the law.”

Juxtaposing her experiences in Gurugram with those in Mumbai, she says that poor planning, overlapping authorities and lack of accountability have turned daily living into a negotiation. Traffic rules exist but are rarely enforced. Civic norms are announced but seldom followed through.

“Mumbai has density and pressure too,” she says, “but there is a basic respect for systems. Gurugram is still searching for that.”

Yet, Bhariok remains optimistic.

“The residents of Gurugram are its biggest strength,” she says. “They are aspirational, positive and willing to push for change.”

Over the years, she has seen citizens come together, through residents’ welfare associations, legal fora and advocacy platforms, and this “collective energy”, she says, sets Gurugram apart.

There is a restlessness among residents, she notes, but it is constructive. People want cleaner air, safer streets, stronger laws and a city that works. “There is a shared belief that things can improve. And that belief matters.”

Until then, she continues to live, work and push for change—an outsider who chose to stay, and to speak up.

(Ritu Bhariok is a legal professional who lives in DLF-5)