Gurugram receives 78mm rainfall, causing widespread traffic congestion

Despite MCG and GMDA teams’ efforts, the drainage systems struggled to keep up with the heavy rainfall

For the third consecutive day, Gurugram has been struggling with widespread waterlogging, as heavy rainfall continues to lash the region. The city recorded 78mm of rainfall by 8.30am on Monday, with an additional 15.5mm by 5pm, leading to severe traffic congestion and water entering homes across various neighbourhoods. The persistent downpour caused major disruptions, with most companies offering work-from-home options and many students staying home due to unsafe road conditions.

A waterlogged stretch of NH-48 service road at Khandsa village in Gurugram on Monday. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

Commuters faced significant delays on major roads, including NH-48, Udyog Vihar, Cyber City, Sector 10, Sohna Road, and Golf Course Extension Road, where vehicles crawled through waterlogged streets. Dinesh Yadav, a commuter on NH-48, expressed his frustration, stating, “I left my house at 8am, hoping to reach the office by 9, but I couldn’t even get halfway by 10.30am. I was stuck in traffic at multiple spots. The roads were completely flooded, and vehicles broke down everywhere. It’s the same story every monsoon—nothing seems to improve.”

Residential areas such as Sushant Lok 2 and 3, Sectors 21, 22, 4, 5, 7, Sector 48, Sector 10, Malibu Towne in Sector 49, and DLF Phase 3 were among the worst affected. Many homes reported water entering their basements and ground floors. Kavita Singh, a resident of Sushant Lok-3, voiced her concerns, saying, “We have been dealing with this for years now. Every time it rains heavily, our entire block gets flooded. The authorities come, inspect, and make promises, but nothing changes. On Monday, we had to cancel our planned dinner because our front yard was completely submerged.”

The waterlogged roads also disrupted travel plans for residents. Davinder Malhotra, a resident of Sector 56, had to cancel an outstation trip due to the waterlogged roads. “We were supposed to leave for Jaipur early Monday morning, but there was no way to get out with all the water around. It’s really disappointing,” he said.

In response to the situation, the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) and Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) deployed teams across the city to manage the waterlogging. Despite their efforts, the drainage systems struggled to keep up with the heavy rainfall, leading to prolonged delays and disruptions.

Dr. Balpreet Singh, the additional municipal commissioner, conducted a site visit on Monday to assess the water drainage management in several areas. He directed officials on the ground to expedite the removal of water to ensure smoother commutes. Dr. Singh’s tour began at Hero Honda Chowk, continuing to Umang Bhardwaj Chowk and Sector 10, where he reviewed the drainage systems, and the operation of pumps installed at various locations. In Sector 9, he instructed the assistant engineer to ensure that water is promptly drained into the nearby drains to prevent accumulation.

“We also inspected the water drainage operations at Bajghera Underpass via Dwarka Expressway and discussed the situation with officials from the concerned departments. We checked Basai and Sector 37, where a recently constructed drain by the MCG has significantly alleviated the area’s waterlogging problems,” said Dr. Singh.

Vikram Singh, executive engineer, GMDA, added that their teams were on the ground throughout the day, working continuously to clear the waterlogged areas. “We have deployed additional pumps and manpower to ensure that the situation is brought under control as quickly as possible,” he said.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that Gurugram recorded a maximum temperature of 30.7 degrees Celsius and a minimum temperature of 26 degrees Celsius on Monday. The city experienced 78mm of rainfall in the 24 hours leading up to 8.30am on Monday, with a further 15.5mm recorded by 5.30pm. Of the total rainfall, 75mm occurred within a three-hour span from 9.30am to 12.30pm on Sunday.

So far, Gurugram has received 212.8mm of rainfall in August, 179% above the normal of 76.2mm. In terms of seasonal rainfall, the city has recorded 368.5mm, which is 23% higher than the normal of 298.7mm. IMD officials have forecasted heavy rainfall in Gurugram and neighbouring districts on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. The Air Quality Index (AQI) in Gurugram was recorded in the satisfactory category at 86 on Monday.