Concern for Gurugram: Locals flag recurring infrastructure failures in Sector 43

Locals cited incomplete drainage works, crumbling roads, poor sanitation, neglected green belts and rising stray animal concerns despite repeated complaints.

Residents of Gurugram’s Sector 43 have flagged recurring waterlogging, crumbling internal roads, poor sanitation, neglected green belts and an increasing stray cattle and dog menace, alleging that civic authorities have failed to resolve long-pending infrastructure issues despite repeated complaints.

Residents also raised concerns over sanitation, neglected green belts and stray animals. MCG said several works are on hold until after the monsoon (Parveen Kumar/HT)

Following recent rainfall, several internal roads and residential lanes in the sector were inundated, forcing residents and pedestrians to wade through water to reach their homes. Residents said waterlogging has become a recurring problem every monsoon and has been aggravated by poor road conditions, inadequate drainage infrastructure and irregular sanitation services.

Waterlogging, road works

A flooded internal road in Sector 43 near Galaxy Apartments on Tuesday. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

Residents said even a brief spell of rainfall lasting around 20 minutes leaves internal lanes flooded, disrupting movement across the sector.

Robinder Singh Sirohi, resident of Sector 43, said the drainage infrastructure in the area remains inadequate. He said the sector has six pockets, of which only five have proper drainage facilities.

“Drainage work was being carried out in the area, but it was stopped after a certain point. The basic question is why was the project so poorly planned and why was proper planning not done before execution,” he said.

MCG officials said the drainage work was halted because of the ongoing monsoon and will resume after the monsoon season ends. Officials did not specify an exact timeline for resuming or completing the remaining work.

“All the internal roads of the sector are choked with rainwater as the stormwater drains are missing. We have raised this issue multiple times with the ward councillors as well as the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) officials, yet we still await action,” said Surbhi Joshi, another resident.

A junior engineer at the MCG said the installation of stormwater drains is currently in progress, with the work being carried out in phases across the area. “The work has been put on hold because of the monsoon season,” he said.

Residents also said several internal roads are uneven, riddled with potholes and, at some stretches, do not exist. They added that the roads were supposed to undergo a revamp, but little has changed.

“During rains, it becomes extremely difficult for residents to navigate the roads. Two-wheeler riders have to be especially cautious as waterlogging, coupled with potholes, makes commuting risky,” said Joshi.

Sirohi said the sector has a road network spanning nearly 15 kilometres, of which around 10 kilometres require redevelopment.

“While repair work has been carried out on a few roads, the majority of stretches still need urgent attention,” he said.

Residents also alleged a lack of accountability from the MCG.

“During elections, representatives make tall promises of resolving all our issues, but once the elections are over, they fail to fulfil their responsibilities. Roads are a basic necessity,” said Pooja Khanna, a resident.

Residents further raised concerns over bitumen lying on the road illegally near Excelsior American School, saying it has remained in the open for some time, posing a safety hazard.A junior engineer at MCG said the bitumen will be removed from the site and the contractor will be warned for negligence.

Ward councillor Yadav told HT that the work order for internal roads was issued in February, but the project was delayed due to a shortage of bitumen.

“Shortly after the work order was issued, some of the work had to be halted due to the bitumen shortage. As a result, we could complete only half of the work, while the remaining work will be taken up after the monsoon,” he said.

A junior engineer from the MCG said road construction is being carried out in phases alongside the installation of stormwater drains.

“We are constructing roads in areas where stormwater drains are being laid. The work is being executed in three phases,” he said.

Sanitation, green belts

Illegally dumped garbage in a green belt in Sector 43 near Galaxy Apartments, as seen on Tuesday. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

Residents also flagged the lack of regular road sweeping and sanitation services, saying poor upkeep of public spaces has added to their civic concerns.

Sirohi said basic maintenance of roads and public areas remains a challenge.

“Sanitation and cleanliness require regular attention. Despite repeated concerns raised by residents, there is a lack of proper upkeep in the sector,” he said.

“Only four or five workers are seen sweeping the roads, and that too not regularly. How can four workers cover the whole sector?” he added.

“We have been raising these issues for a long time, but there is no visible improvement on the ground. Basic services like road sweeping, road maintenance and sanitation should be ensured regularly,” said Joshi.

Residents said irregular road sweeping has led to dust accumulation along internal roads and public areas. They also alleged that green belts have been poorly maintained, with several areas witnessing garbage dumping and neglect.

Yadav, however, contradicted residents’ claims that sanitation workers were not visiting the area regularly.

“As per our records, workers are coming every day to clean the area,” he said.

On the maintenance of green belts, Yadav said he had written to the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) seeking upkeep of the area, but no action had been taken so far.

A GMDA official, asking not to be named, said the authority will inspect the green belt area and take action accordingly to maintain it.

Stray animal concerns

Residents also raised concerns over the increasing stray cattle and dog menace, alleging that stray dogs in the sector have not been sterilised or vaccinated.They added stray cattle frequently roam on roads, while the increasing number of stray dogs has become a growing concern for residents.

Residents also said the MCG had proposed designated feeding points for stray dogs, but several locals objected to the move over concerns about the location and the possibility of increased congregation of dogs in residential areas.

“While the MCG had proposed the creation of designated feeding points for stray dogs, several locals have raised objections over the move, citing concerns about the location and possible increase in the congregation of dogs in residential areas,” added Sirohi.

An MCG official said the civic body will hold discussions with residents on the issue of designated feeding points. The official, however, did not specify a timeline for finalising the proposal or provide details on stray cattle management or impounding.

Residents said no written complaints have been submitted so far as RWA elections are yet to be held. Consequently, there have been no inspections or meetings by civic authorities in response to these concerns through the RWA.