After ₹10 cr overhaul, Gurugram Civil Hospital awaits monsoon stress test

Officials say recurring flooding and leakage issues will only be fully assessed once heavy rains begin this season.

Health department officials in Gurugram have said the nearly ₹10 crore on repair, renovation and beautification works carried out over the past six months at Civil Hospital in Sector 10 should be sufficient to prevent the recurrent flooding and leakage issues that have affected the facility for years.

Extensive renovation work has been completed, but concerns remain over clogged drains and external sewer infrastructure. (HT Archive)

According to the district health department, the expenditure covered repairs to walls and roofs, reconstruction of damaged boundary walls, development of shaded parking spaces, installation of interlocking tiles, creation of two parks and waterproofing of hospital buildings. The department has also sought an additional ₹3.92 crore for further renovation works and installation of solar panels over the newly developed parking area.

Officials said the effectiveness of the repairs will only become evident once heavy rainfall begins. Every monsoon, parts of the hospital complex experience waterlogging, with rainwater entering buildings and disrupting patient movement and healthcare services. Leaking roofs and overflowing drains have remained recurring concerns.

Health officials attributed much of the problem to clogged sewer lines and inadequate drainage infrastructure around the hospital. They said sewer overflows and poor stormwater drainage in adjoining areas frequently worsen flooding within the campus.

“While significant work has been completed, the real test will be during the monsoon. We are hopeful that the repairs will provide relief, but the drainage situation outside the hospital also needs to be addressed,” said Dr Lokveer Singh, civil surgeon, Gurugram.

He said the hospital’s location in a low-lying area further complicates the issue. “The lines are clogged a lot of the time and are not sufficient to carry the load of the area. We call MCG officials every few months to clear the lines so that the water does not enter our premises,” he said.

The issue has also highlighted uncertainty over responsibility for the drainage network. Health officials said concerns regarding sewer and drainage infrastructure have repeatedly been raised, but ambiguity remains over whether the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) or the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) is responsible.

MCG sub-divisional officer Waseem Akram said the hospital is connected to a sewer line running behind the premises and that desilting work has already been completed. “We have carried out desilting in the lines, and hopefully this monsoon will be better,” he said, adding that the three-foot-wide sewer line may not have been designed to handle peak monsoon loads.

GMDA spokesperson Neha Sharma said, “The agency would address the issue if a complaint is received.” However, none of the agencies outlined a permanent solution. Health department officials maintained that widening the sewer network remains the only long-term answer.