Concern for Gurugram: Civic woes mount in Sector 57 as residents allege neglect

Illegal dumping, encroachments and poor upkeep persist; officials blame contract gaps and pending approvals

Sector 57, a well-established residential area housing over 15,000 families and developed nearly 25 years ago, is riddled with mounting civic issues, according to residents, with locals alleging “neglect” by authorities. According to residents, a range of problems, including pothole-ridden roads, irregular sweeping, illegal garbage dumping, non-functional streetlights, and widespread encroachments, mar the area.

A cratered stretch in an internal road in Sector 57, near Sushant Lok Phase 2. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

‘Broken roads, delay in recarpeting’

Residents and Resident Welfare Association (RWA) members said the condition of internal roads has worsened despite a pending repair project worth around ₹3 crore. As per a work order accessed by HT, re-carpeting of 10-metre and 18-metre roads was scheduled to begin in April last year and be completed by February 10 this year. However, residents said no meaningful progress has been made.

Roshan Lal Yadav, president of the RWA in Sector 57, said, “The work was supposed to begin last year, but not a single stretch has been properly repaired so far. Nearly 5 to 6 kilometres of internal roads remain in poor shape, riddled with deep craters and uneven patches. This also turns the area into a dust bowl whenever vehicles pass.”

Jaypal Kaushik, general secretary of the RWA, said two key 18-metre-wide roads require urgent attention. “Despite the work order being issued, the repairs have not been completed. The 18-metre road from Kabootar Chowk to the area’s water tank needs immediate fixing. We have been waiting for the past two years,” he said.

Residents also flagged the absence of proper footpaths, raising pedestrian safety concerns. “Since the roads are broken, dust is everywhere. It becomes difficult for us pedestrians to walk. The city is not at all walkable,” Kaushik added.

Responding to the delay, Sandeep Sihag, executive engineer at the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), said, “About 30% of the work was completed before the monsoon last year. However, due to heavy rains and the implementation of the Graded Response Action Plan (Grap), the work had to be halted. The repairs will resume from next week, and we have extended the deadline to May 31 this year.”

‘Sanitation woes’

Illegally dumped waste along a pavement in Block-G, as seen on Tuesday. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

Sanitation lapses have further aggravated residents’ concerns. Residents said irregular sweeping has persisted for months and alleged staff shortages. A complaint was filed in December last year with the State Vigilance and anti-corruption bureau against YLV Enterprises, a sanitation contractor engaged by MCG, citing “systematic corruption” and “non-performance”.

“The area had almost 63 sanitation workers for regular upkeep. However, since November 2024, only 8 to 10 workers are showing up,” said Yadav, adding that workers often remain absent for days, leaving roads unclean.

Despite repeated calls and messages, the supervisor of YLV Enterprises did not respond to HT’s queries.

A senior MCG official acknowledged gaps, stating that the previous tender did not specify manpower requirements. “In the new tender submitted to the state government, the amount of manpower is mentioned. We hope once approved, this problem will be fixed,” the official said.

MCG officials said that while 63 sanitation workers were earlier deployed in the area, the current contract does not specify manpower requirements, limiting the corporation’s ability to hold the contractor accountable for staff shortages.

Ward councillor Sonia Yadav said the issue extends citywide. “This is not just about Sector 57, but the whole of Gurugram is facing irregular road sweeping. Once the contractor’s tender is renewed, we plan to assign workers based on area per kilometre,” she said.

Residents also highlighted widespread illegal dumping on vacant plots and open spaces, raising concerns about hygiene and health risks. “This has created an eyesore and foul odour issues,” said Kaushik.

Rekha Aggrawal, a resident of Sector 57, said waterlogging persisted for eight to nine days along a 500–600 metre stretch near Harmony Circle. “People had to place stones and bricks just to walk over the water,” she said, highlighting the inconvenience faced by residents.

A junior MCG official attributed the issue to a sewage pipeline leak. “Our team has been deployed to drain the water, and the damaged pipeline will be repaired at the earliest,” he said.

Streetlight failures in Sushant Lok 2 and 3 have added to safety concerns. Pawan Yadav, RWA president, said ageing infrastructure has led to unstable poles and even collapses. “We need around 100 new streetlights and have submitted a request, but there has been no response,” he said.In response, an MCG official acknowledged the issue, stating that the streetlights and poles require urgent replacement. “The existing streetlights are non-functional, and the bases of the poles have deteriorated badly,” he said, adding that a proposal has been submitted for replacing around 400 streetlights. “However, until approval is received from the top authorities, the proposal for new streetlights and poles will remain pending,” he added.

A streetlight in the area with visible cracks. (HT Photo)

Encroachments at the sector’s main entrance, markets, and green belts have further disrupted movement and public spaces. “Vendors and temporary structures have made it difficult for vehicles and pedestrians,” said Yadav. Kaushik added that the green belt near Wazirabad Chowk towards Artemis Hospital has been misused due to a lack of fencing.

Ward councillor Sonia Yadav said, “We have removed some of the encroachment from the market; however, stricter enforcement is needed.”