Gurugram’s buried water bodies trigger urban flooding crisis

Reservoirs that once absorbed monsoon rains have now vanished, leaving homes waterlogged, roads submerged, and traffic paralysed.

Once the natural lifelines of Gurugram, the city’s traditional water bodies now lie buried under debris and illegal encroachments, unleashing a worsening civic and environmental crisis. Reservoirs that once absorbed monsoon rains have now vanished, leaving homes waterlogged, roads submerged, and traffic paralysed.

Water bodies covered with garbage and soil at Khala road in Udyog Vihar. (HT Photo)

Residents raise concern over years of neglect and short-sightedness. According to JAAGO GURUGRAM, a collective of RWAs, reckless dumping of construction waste and unchecked encroachments have choked critical catchments like the 84-acre Khala near Ambience Mall and the Johars on Rao Gajraj Marg, Old Gurgaon Road, and Sector 22B/Molhera.

Chairperson Kundan Lal Sharma warned that the city has “turned a blessing of rain into a recurring curse” and stressed that revival of these reservoirs is “no longer optional but a necessity for survival.”

In Sector 22B, resident Bhim Singh Yadav pointed to flooding in Rajangla Road and nearby homes caused by run-off from Udyog Vihar. The Johar on Rao Gajraj Marg, which once absorbed rainwater—is buried under construction waste. “The MCG, custodian of this water body, has made no effort to restore it,” he added.

In Dundahera village, the choking of the Khala reservoir has turned downpour into misery. “Our homes and Old Gurgaon Road are repeatedly flooded, damaging property and crippling daily life,” said Virender Kumar Yadav, a resident of the village.

Residents across sectors argue that restoration of Johars is the only sustainable solution. “These revived water bodies can break the cycle of flooding and support fish cultivation, boating, bird watching, and groundwater recharge. It can become an ecological and social asset,” said Prakash Lamba, President of Sector 21 RWA.

The problem is acute in Surya Vihar, on the Delhi–Gurgaon border, where run-off water stagnates and mixes with untreated sewage. “Children wade through filth to reach school, elders trapped indoors, and vehicles break down in knee-deep contaminated water. This is a public health emergency, not just an inconvenience,” said Rajesh Gera, President of Surya Vihar RWA.

Deputy Commissioner Ajay Kumar assured that these long-standing issues will be resolved soon. Resident groups, however, insist that only a coordinated, whole-of-government approach—backed by strict enforcement against encroachments and investment in nature-based flood control—can rescue Gurugram from this spiralling crisis. Until then, the monsoon remains less a relief and more a recurring disaster.

Debolina Kundu, NIUA director said that the water absorption and retention capacity have been adversely impacted by the burial of the traditional reservoirs. “This has directly aggravated flooding in several areas. Also, expansion of built up areas and corresponding decline in green and water spaces impact aquifer management,” she said.