GMDA readies to prevent waterlogging on city roads ahead of monsoon

Gurugram will construct water gullies and deploy extra pumps at key areas along the National Highway to prevent waterlogging and flooding during the upcoming monsoon season. The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has instructed all departments to work together and take remedial measures to prevent waterlogging in the city. The authority will construct an additional drain along the leg-two stormwater drain to ensure excess water does not spill onto the streets. A flood control room will also be set up during the months of July, August and September.

Gurugram: To prevent waterlogging and flooding of roads during the upcoming monsoon season, the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) said it will construct water gullies and deploy additional pumps at key areas along the National Highway (NH-48).

Gurugram, India-June 04, 2023: The GMDA will installed more water pump for remove the rain waterlogging at National Highway-48 near Khandsa village, in Gurugram, India, on Sunday, 04 June 2023. (Photo by Parveen Kumar/Hindustan Times)(Pic to go with Abhishek's story)

The authority will also construct an additional drain along the leg-two stormwater drain which passes through MDI Chowk, Atul Kataria Chowk, Sheetla Mata Road, New Palam Vihar, Daulatabad and merges with the Najafgarh drain to ensure excess water does not spill onto the streets, officials said.

GMDA chief executive officer PC Meena, during a meeting held last week, said all concerned departments have been instructed to work together and take all remedial measures to prevent waterlogging in the city.

“All key waterlogging hotspots will be under the scanner. We have issued directions to curb instances of waterlogging by installing pumps, executing desilting work of drains, construction of drains and road gullies, and cleaning of creeks to the concerned officials,” said CEO Meena.

The CEO also directed that the desilting work and cleaning of drains must be carried out before the arrival of monsoon.

As per the directions issued to officials of different agencies, Meena said additional road gullies will be created along the Sheetla Mata Mandir Road to prevent waterlogging in the area. Last year, the authority dug road gullies along the road, which had helped to prevent waterlogging.

“The authority also plans to construct an additional drain, parallel to the leg-two stormwater drain. It will help to drain out additional stormwater during the monsoon season and ensure that rainwater, which usually spills over the roads in the area, is diverted through it”, Meena added.

GMDA officials said that in addition to diverting the stormwater, they have also decided to install additional pumping machinery at Laxman Vihar and Surya Vihar, near the Kapashera border, to pump out water in the low-lying areas.

Pumps will be installed by the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), officials said. The civic body will also remove encroachments and desilt four creeks.

The authority also informed that desilting work of stormwater drains along Artemis Hospital Road has almost been completed to ensure quick disposal of stormwater.

A GMDA spokesperson said that a flood control room will also be set up during the months of July, August and September. “Additional pumping machinery will also be set up at critical locations such as Hero Honda Chowk, Khandsa Chowk, Jwala Mill Road and Narsinghpur, among others for the disposal of stormwater”, he said.

GMDA officials further said that drills to check the status of pumps and drainage networks at the 14 underpasses across the city are being carried out. They also said that greenbelts along the roads will be dug so that water can be diverted during the monsoon, and this can also help in groundwater recharge.

CEO Meena said the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has also been asked to clean surface drains near the IMT Manesar flyover, Rampura flyover as well as from MDI Chowk to Signature Tower on a priority basis.