Congress stages protest against Gurugram’s sanitation crisis; BJP and MCG promise action

Gurugram faces a sanitation crisis, prompting Congress protests against the BJP-led government. Residents demand urgent action on garbage and infrastructure issues.

Mounting garbage piles, crumbling roads and waterlogging have pushed Gurugram into what residents and political leaders alike are calling an unprecedented sanitation crisis. On Tuesday, the district Congress committee staged a strong protest outside the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) office, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party-led “triple-engine government” of failing to deliver basic civic amenities.

Congress workers dumped heaps of garbage in front of the MCG commissioner’s vehicle. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

In a symbolic gesture, Congress workers dumped heaps of garbage in front of the MCG commissioner’s vehicle. The leaders then handed over a memorandum to civic officials, giving the MCG a 15-day ultimatum to fix sanitation across the city. Senior leaders, including former MP and actor Raj Babbar, participated in the protest led by District Congress Committee (Urban) president Pankaj Dawar and Rural president Vardhan Yadav.

Babbar said Gurugram’s condition was “shameful” despite being an international city contributing large revenue to the government. “Foreign visitors are calling the city a pigsty. We do not support such remarks, but the reality is undeniable. This city is drowning in filth while ministers, MLAs and the mayor sleep in peace. If the government cannot ensure basic cleanliness in a city like Gurugram, where will it succeed?” he asked, demanding immediate intervention.

Congress leaders alleged Gurugram has virtually turned into “Koodagram” under the BJP’s watch, pointing to the Bandhwari landfill, which they described as an unmanageable mountain of waste with no solution in sight. Yadav said nearly ₹10 crore is spent every month on sanitation, but the city “stinks of neglect”. “Instead of fixing responsibility, the government has abandoned the city to bureaucrats and contractors. Where is the hospital, where is the bus stand, and what exactly has changed in Gurugram in the past 11 years apart from crumbling infrastructure and garbage heaps?” he asked.

Dawar said broken roads, potholes, overflowing dumps and waterlogging defined Gurugram today. “The monsoon turns colonies into cesspools, exposing citizens to disease, disruption and accidents. Sanitation and drainage systems have been completely ignored, leaving people to fend for themselves,” he said, warning of serious risks to public health.

Residents from across the city joined the protest, demanding urgent clearance of garbage from roadsides, vacant plots and residential areas. They warned that the waste was creating a stench and breeding mosquitoes, raising fears of dengue and malaria outbreaks.

Rejecting the allegations, state minister and BJP leader Rao Narbir Singh said Congress was “indulging in theatrics to mislead people.” “The BJP government has already initiated multiple projects to improve sanitation, strengthen waste management and repair Gurugram’s infrastructure. The opposition should remember that the same problems of garbage and waterlogging are a legacy of their years of neglect. Instead of politicising civic issues, they should support the government’s efforts to transform Gurugram into a model city,” he said.

In response, MCG commissioner Pradeep Dahiya also assured action. “We are regularly holding review meetings, and our teams are inspecting hotspots across the city. The process of clearing garbage from illegal dumping sites, streets and vacant plots has already begun. By September 15, citizens will see visible results,” he said.

For now, the political clash has amplified citizens’ frustration. Congress leaders warned that if the administration fails to act within the deadline, larger protests will follow.