Dust, burning garbage, bad roads hurting Gurugram Ward 26

Like other wards across the city, this one, too, is stuck in a cycle of temporary fixes and unresolved issues

Ward 26 of Gurugram, located on both sides of the Badshahpur-Sohna Road Highway along the Southern Peripheral Road and Golf Course Extension Road, is home to 150,000 people living in residential societies such as the Emaar Palm Drive, Vatika City, The Enclave, and Unitech Escape, among others.

An illegal dump yard in Sector 65 in Ward 26 near the Golf Course Extension Road in Gurugram on Thursday. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

Like other wards in Gurugram, this area suffers from broken road infrastructure, a broken garbage collection system, illegal dumping of construction and demolition waste, illegal encroachments in public spaces, and waterlogging.

However, like other wards across the city, this one, too, is stuck in a cycle of temporary fixes and unresolved issues.

“We understand the gravity of the issues faced by residents in Ward 26, particularly concerning dust pollution, traffic congestion, and illegal encroachments. The administration is working closely with civic bodies to implement long-term solutions. We have already initiated special drives to address waste management and are continuously monitoring areas with severe traffic issues to ensure smoother vehicular movement,” said Nishant Kumar Yadav, deputy commissioner, Gurugram.

A silent health hazard

Bharat Bhushan Vij, a resident of Emaar Palm Drive, said that the condition of the road is dreadful. He said that the road does not even have a footpath, is often very dusty, and faces traffic snarls.

Construction dust and waste burning contributes to the poor air quality across the ward. Residents of high-end societies such as Nirvana Country and Vatika City have repeatedly complained about rampant burning of waste in their neighbourhood by illegal vendors and the unregulated dumping of construction debris. Construction dust containment measures are either non-existent or grossly inadequate, leading to constant exposure to harmful particulate matter.

Major General Kuldeep Sindhu (retired), a resident of the ward, said that the Central Pollution Control Board’s Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station (CAAQM) in Sector 51 frequently shows alarming PM2.5 readings, but there has been little to no action by the authorities to mitigate the situation. “We have witnessed open waste burning and malba dumping for years, and there is absolutely no recourse. It’s sad to see that despite being aware of the pollution levels, no efforts have been made by the pollution control board or district administration to abate this,” he said.

Homeowners in Nirvana Country and Uppal Southend said that poorly managed construction dust and the illegal dumping of construction and demolition (C&D) waste have made life unbearable. Speaking on the condition of Golf Course Extension Road, Bharat Bhushan Vij said, “The special repair of this road, which covered de-silting at a cost of ₹8 crore, didn’t have any de-silting at all. Water stagnation persists, potholes are a nightmare, and garbage and waste are dumped all along the road.”

Encroachment on public space

Illegal encroachments, particularly around society gates and on public pathways, are a major concern in areas like Sector 50, Orchid Petals, and Nirvana Country. These encroachments, often driven by commercial or unauthorised construction activities, have narrowed roads and disrupted pedestrian movement. Ruchika Sethi Takkar, a Sector 50 resident, said that the encroachments result in constant traffic jams and endanger pedestrian safety. “Illegal encroachment and traffic jams not only reduce the quality of life but have turned everyday commuting into a nightmare,” she said.

Roads around Emaar Palm Drive and Nirvana Country face constant obstruction from encroachments. Public spaces, sidewalks, and roadways are increasingly being taken over by unauthorised vendors, construction material, and even parked vehicles, making it dangerous for pedestrians to walk or for traffic to flow smoothly.

“Traffic congestion has worsened due to encroachments, and speeding vehicles add to the danger. We need speed limits enforced and illegal vendors moved out for our roads to function efficiently,” said Ruchika Sethi Takkar of Nirvana Country.

Recurring waterlogging

Roads leading to popular areas such as Arcadia Market and Rosewood City are particularly bad during monsoons, aggravated by deep potholes making them almost impassable. “One shower and the entire road infrastructure falls apart,” said Rajeev Asthana, general secretary of Orchid Petals RWA in Sector 49.

Tigra and Ghasola villages have open sewers and several waste dumping sites. “Tigra and Jharsa are in complete neglect with open sewerage and overflowing waste, exposing inhabitants to disease outbreaks and very poor sanitary conditions,” said Major General Sindhu (retired).

Clamour for change

The absence of a long-term, comprehensive plan to address these recurring problems has left residents frustrated.

Bharat Bhushan Vij urges the government to rein in the unchecked growth of the builder lobby. “We don’t want unrealistic promises, just simple steps like regulating C&D waste, modernising garbage collection, and fixing our road infrastructure,” he said. His views are echoed by many, with residents demanding that tax revenue, including property taxes and other levies, be used efficiently for long-term infrastructural improvements instead of short-lived beautification projects.

“We contribute a substantial share to the state’s revenue, but our basic infrastructure remains in shambles. It’s time the government focuses on practical, long-term solutions,” said Shivani Bhatia, a Vatika City resident.

Officials from the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) and the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) have offered assurances of improvements. A senior MCG official said on condition of anonymity that efforts to manage construction and demolition waste are underway, and several new dustbins have been installed along major roads in the ward. “We are working to address these problems, particularly in areas where illegal dumping and encroachment have been rampant,” the official said.

However, residents say that measures that have been taken till now are inadequate and demand more proactive intervention from the local administration. They seek a revival of the redevelopment plan for the Golf Course Extension Road, which was dropped in 2023, to mitigate the area’s most pressing issues.

“I have been personally visiting each ward to identify and address the concerns raised by residents. In Ward 26, the key issues like road repair, garbage disposal, and waterlogging are being prioritised. We are working to clear construction and demolition waste and improve drainage systems, and I assure the residents that the government is committed to resolving these challenges in a time-bound manner,” said MCG commissioner Narhari Singh Bangar.