Gurugram: Broken roads, sanitation woes chokes Sector 37C

Gurugram's Sector 37C faces severe civic issues, including poor roads, lack of sewage, and sanitation problems, with residents citing accountability failures.

A slew of civic issues surrounds Gurugram’s Sector 37C as residents alleged that the sector struggles with broken roads, missing sewage network, and lack of sanitation, among others. According to residents, their most important concern is the lack of accountability within Gurugram’s civic bodies.

The pothole-ridden main road in Sector-37C and 37D in Gurugram as seen on Tuesday. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

To be sure, there are approximately, 12 societies in Sector 37C housing more than 10,000 families.

“The worst part of our sector is its roads. There are big potholes along the300 to 400 metre stretch which links Sector 37C and 37D to Dwarka Expressway. The road which was carpeted last year got damaged right after monsoon this year,” said Shiv Shankar Maurya, RWA vice president of Imperia Esfera.

“I still remember a day in July when I was riding my two-wheeler along that stretch toward the Dwarka Expressway. I got stuck in a pothole so deep that two people had to help me pull the vehicle out. It’s a dangerous road,” he said. “Now it’s December, and although there’s no stagnant water, the condition of the stretch remains the same.”

Residents have pointed out that while most roads in the area have been relaid, the stretches in front of two schools, GAV International and Narayana School remain filled with potholes. “Both schools are next to each other, and the roads here are in terrible condition. This poses a serious risk to students and parents who come to pick up their children,” said Rinky Singh, RWA president of Imperia Esfera.

“The biggest problem is that no civic body is willing to take accountability,” she said. “The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) claims only a portion of the stretch falls under its jurisdiction, while the public works department (PWD) points to the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG). When we approached MCG, they said they had not received a proper handover from PWD. As a result, the issues faced by residents and commuters remain unresolved as no one is taking responsibility,” she added.

“The sector hardly has any footpaths or pavements. Pedestrian safety is a major concern here. The roads are broken, and without footpaths, where are pedestrians supposed to walk?” she said.

When contacted, Vijay Dhaka, chief engineer at the MCG, he declined to comment on the matter.

Meanwhile, Tushar Yadav, executive engineer at the MCG, stated that the road falls under PWD’s jurisdiction and has not yet been handed over to us. “The jurisdiction still lies with PWD. We cannot begin any work until we receive a formal handover,” he added.

Sachin Bhati, executive engineer at the PWD, however, pointed to MCG, saying that the area falls under their jurisdiction.

Sewage woes

Residents highlighted that the sector lacks a functional sewage and drainage network. “What is the point of re-carpeting the roads when they will deteriorate again during the monsoon due to the absence of sewage lines?,” said Satvir Singh, RWA president of Apex Homes in Sector 37C.

“Monsoons for residents of Sector 37C are the worst. There are no sewage lines, and even though civil work is underway near our society, none have been laid yet. As a result, waterlogging becomes a major problem during monsoon,” said Maurya.

When asked about sewage lines, MCG official Tushar Yadav said that the 24-meter-road is with the builders. “If there is any other area which lacks proper drainage and sewage, I will send my team for inspection and get it fixed,” he said.

Residents, however, raised concerns about the responsibility for the 24-metre road, which they said currently lies with the builders. “Builders develop the roads in the initial phase. After the handover to the RWAs, why would a builder remain responsible for roads or sewage? The officials are simply passing the responsibility around,” Singh said.

Sanitation lapses

According to residents, the sector lacks regular cleaning and there is an absence of municipal staff. “We hardly see any MCG workers coming to clean the area,” said Satvir Singh.

A senior official from the MCG’s bulk waste management cell said that the department is conducting regular checks and outreach. “We visit societies and urge residents to segregate waste, however, some residents do not cooperate. We have also issued challans to vendors found violating norms. While we will continue monitoring, residents must also take responsibility,” the official said.

He added that in some cases, when vendors miss the rounds, they dump the unsegregated waste in vacant plots to avoid penalties.

Some residents also pointed to the poor upkeep of roads, claiming that garbage accumulation along the roadside has become excessive. “If you go towards ILD Greens, one side of the road is strewn with garbage and the other is filled with stagnant sewer water,” said Rinky Singh.

A senior sanitation officer with the MCG, requesting anonymity, said the civic body is facing a manpower shortage. “We are short-staffed, which is why fewer workers are visible on the ground. However, we will ensure that operations run smoothly,” he added.