GMDA approves reconstruction of stormwater drain at ₹34cr

GMDA approved a ₹34 crore project to reconstruct a stormwater drain to prevent waterlogging in Gurugram, expanding its capacity from 2.5m to 5m.

The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) approved the reconstruction of a stormwater drain between Old Delhi Road and Rezangla Chowk on Thursday, officials said.

According to officials, the drain aims to prevent waterlogging in sectors 21, 22, 24, Palam Vihar, Udyog Vihar and adjoining areas. (Parveen Kumar/Hindustan Times)

According to officials, the drain will be constructed at the cost of ₹34 crore and it aims to prevent waterlogging in sectors 21, 22, 24, Palam Vihar, Udyog Vihar and adjoining areas.

A senior GMDA official told HT that they will soon float a tender for this project. The existing storm water drain along the Major Sushil Aima Road is in a dilapidated condition and needs reconstruction.

“The proposal for rehabilitation and augmentation of Leg 1 from Old Delhi Road to Rezangla Chowk has been approved by the GMDA CEO. The drain at present has diameter of 2.5 metres and it would be expanded to around 5 metres during reconstruction to increase the carrying capacity,” said Vikram Singh, executive engineer, GMDA.

Singh said the existing drain from Udyog Vihar to Old Delhi Road is 4.5 metres wide, while the drain along Major Sushil Aima Road is narrow. “The culvert on Old Delhi road would be constructed separately while this drain would also be widened to ensure rain water flows smoothly towards Najafgarh drain and there is no waterlogging along residential sectors,” he said.

GMDA officials said, Sushil Aima Road is approximately 30 metres wide. Nine metres of the carriageway will be used for building the metro line, while the remaining road will include a storm drain, footpath, and green space.

“We have already received approval from metro authorities regarding widening and construction of this drain,” said a GMDA official.

The existing storm water drain, Leg 1, originates near the Ambience Mall on the Delhi-Jaipur Highway, and flows through Udyog Vihar via Sushil Aima Road to join the Najafgarh drain in Delhi.

In 2016, in response to severe waterlogging in Udyog Vihar, the GMDA widened the stormwater drain to 4.25 metres from Udyog Vihar to Old Delhi Road. However, the widening of this road from Old Delhi Road to Palam Vihar passing through sectors 21, 22 and 23 could not be carried out after residents protested against felling of trees, officials said.

To be sure, Gurugram has three major stormwater drains: Leg 1, Leg 2 and Leg 3 also called the Badshahpur drain, which carry water from the city and its peripheral areas to Najafgarh drain. The Leg 1 drain starts from Nathupur, and passes through DLF Phase 3, Udyog Vihar, Sector 23, Rezangla Chowk, New Palam Vihar, Railway track crossing, Bajghera, and finally reaches Najafgarh Drain.