Gurugram set to map drains, catchments to identify waterlogging bottlenecks

MCG plans to use simulation models and ecological recharge solutions, with IIT Gandhinagar identifying 273 rainwater harvesting locations.

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) is set to undertake catchment and drain mapping of Subash Chowk, internal sectors and licensed colonies to trace rainwater runoff and identify bottlenecks in the city’s drainage network, officials told HT on Monday.

Gurugram set to map drains, catchments to identify waterlogging bottlenecks

The exercise will provide a clearer picture of how rainwater flows through the drainage network, help identify areas where water is not draining properly, and determine which drains require repairs or capacity augmentation, officials added. No timeline or completion date has been shared so far, they added.

Pradeep Dahiya, MCG Commissioner, told HT that the civic body will use a simulation model to assess the drainage network and identify drains requiring repairs or capacity augmentation. “We already have the drains mapped, and through this simulation mode, we will be able to understand how rainwater flows through the network and identify what improvements are required. We are working on long-term solutions,” he said. No details on the cost of the simulation, the agency, or the number of drains and catchments being mapped have been shared so far.

Dahiya said the civic body also plans to focus on conserving rainwater through ecological solutions. “Our preference is not underground tanks at this stage. We want to adopt ecological solutions and recharge groundwater by diverting the water into rainwater harvesting systems,” he said.

Officials said work on the simulation model has already begun, covering Subash Chowk, internal sectors and licensed colonies across Gurugram.

Last week, MCG officials said the civic agency was working with technical experts from IIT Gandhinagar to assess key waterlogging-prone locations and explore rainwater storage and groundwater recharge systems.

Dahiya said the civic body was considering injection wells with a capacity of 48 to 80 litres per second, adding that this would increase the capacity three times the rainfall volume expected during the monsoon season. Officials said IIT Gandhinagar had identified 273 locations for rainwater harvesting systems.

Stormwater lines will also be laid in narrow lanes without dedicated drainage systems and in low-lying areas facing inadequate drainage. The move follows widespread waterlogging on August 24, when 75 mm of rainfall brought Gurugram to a standstill. School buses and vans carrying students were stranded for more than four to five hours at Subash Chowk and Sheetla Mata Mandir, while internal sector and arterial roads were inundated.