Concern for Gurugram: Sector 50 residents flag roads, dust and parking woes

RWAs point to post-monsoon potholes, hours-long waterlogging, irregular sweeping and encroached footpaths, pushing residents to fund upkeep.

Premium residential areas in Gurugram are no exception to civic woes. Such is the case with Sector 50, one of the city’s oldest residential hubs, which grapples with an array of road and connectivity issues. Despite the area being developed in the early 2000s,boasting of markets, high-rises and gated communities,residents complain of persistent civic issues.

An internal road of Nirvana Country in dilapidated condition near The South Close Society on Tuesday. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

Among the key problems raised are poor road infrastructure, irregular sweeping, illegal parking and absence of pedestrian infrastructure, such as footpaths.

“What is the use of buying such expensive homes when basic facilities like roads and sanitation remain a major problem in the area?” shared Rinki Katariya, a resident of Sector 50, who has been staying here since 2019.

Unkempt roads

A stretch near the market in Nirvana Country filled with litter, seen on Tuesday. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

Residents highlighted the deteriorating roads as a key concern, with key stretches, including main market roads and the Nirvana Central Road, being riddled with potholes.

RK Dadoo, the president of the Sector 50 residents’ welfare association (RWA), who moved to the area in 2017 from Delhi, in hope of smooth living, said that internal roads across all five blocks are in poor condition, marked by potholes and uneven surfaces. “The 24-metre-wide Nirvana Central Road is also in a pathetic state. Although the roads were repaired recently, their condition worsened after the monsoon due to severe waterlogging,” he said.

“The ward councillor had promised residents last year that within the next six months the roads will be pothole-free, but no action has been taken,” he said.

Repeated monsoon waterlogging is a concern in the locality, due to poor drainage maintenance. “The roads flood due to poor drainage maintenance, with water often remaining on the main roads for eight to nine hours,” said Katariya.

Ashish Agarwal, secretary of the Nirvana Country RWA, said the roads get frequently damaged due to heavy vehicle movement. “Despite several repairs, potholes keep developing on key stretches and regular routes,” he said.

Residents also flagged the poor condition of footpaths in the area, saying that many are encroached upon, broken or poorly maintained, making them unsafe. “The markets are within walking distance from our homes. If we use cars, there is traffic congestion, and if we walk, there is no pedestrian safety,” said Katariya.

Bharti Harsana, the ward councillor for Sector 50 said, “Two tenders are currently in process. The first is for recarpeting all internal roads in Nirvana Country, while the second one is to convert South City and Nirvana Central roads into model roads, complete with proper footpaths and service lanes. The internal roads will be repaired by March or by April.”

Civic services wane

Heaps of dirt on a footpath near The South Close Society in Gurugram, as seen on Tuesday. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

Residents complained about irregular maintenance activities, such as irregular road sweeping, which has led to increase in dust pollution in the area.

RWA president Dadoo said sanitation services have declined over time. “Earlier, around 15 to 20 sanitation workers would sweep the roads. Now we see only four to five workers, and even that is not on a regular basis,” he said.

Agarwal blamed the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) for inadequate services, saying this has forced RWAs to step in.

“Due to the lack of sanitation workers from MCG, the RWA has had to deploy its own housekeeping staff to clean roads and surrounding areas,” he said, adding that this has increased the burden on residents.

“There is no sweeping near the footpaths, and dust covers the entire road. When a heavy vehicle passes by speedily, the area turns into a dust bowl,” he said.

Satyavir Singh Hooda, a resident of Mayfield Garden in Sector 50 since 2020, said roads near their area are also dusty. “Mayfield Garden is spread across 300 acres. D block falls under Sector 50. Tigra village, which is just across from us, faces serious sanitation issues, and residents of the village often dump garbage near our block, which adds to the dirt and mess in our area,” he said.

Councillor Harsana said there are currently 22 sanitation workers deployed in the sector. “We ensure that roads are cleaned regularly. Residents can report any issues by sharing photos or videos with us. We are also part of residents’ WhatsApp groups, so they can raise concerns there, and we will make sure they are addressed,” she said.

Civic authorities blamed worker absenteeism for civic services being affected. “About 15% of workers are absent on a daily basis. However, with stricter enforcement, we hope to see improvements,” said Ravindra Yadav, MCG’s additional commissioner.

Illegal parking

Illegally parked cars on road in Nirvana Country near the market, blocking pavements, as seen on Tuesday. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

Residents said a key challenge of residing in the area is safe access to key markets, citing lack of space on roads due to illegal parking, which leads to noise pollution and increased pedestrian footfall on main carriageways of roads.

Dadoo said illegal parking is a major problem near the Nirvana Courtyard market. “Cars are parked on both sides of the road, leaving barely any space to move. This causes traffic congestion and constant honking, especially in the evenings and on weekends,” he said.

A traffic police officer said that strict action is being taken against illegal parking across the city. “Vehicles parked on roads in violation of rules are being challaned regularly. We are closely monitoring hot spots to ensure that traffic flow is not disrupted and pedestrian safety is maintained,” the officer said.

Residents have also called for better monsoon preparedness from the municipal authorities.

Katariya said, “Every year, the roads in our sector get waterlogged. There needs to be a proper plan and proactive action taken months before the monsoon to prevent this recurring problem.”

Harsana said monsoon preparedness is a priority for her team and that desilting of sewage lines will begin in February, followed by cleaning of drains in March or April.

A junior MCG official, however, said that no agency has yet been finalised for drainage cleaning and sewage desilting, and the tender has been floated for the third time. “We are aiming to have all work underway by March,” he said.