HT Gurugram First: RWAs, officials push for pollution action on second meet

GMDA promised phased road upgrades and checks, while MCG flagged plans for 30–35 C&D dumping points and direct collection.

Gurugram’s air pollution crisis is no longer about awareness but daily execution and accountability, residents and officials agreed on Saturday during the second monthly HT Gurugram First Dialogue, as complaints mounted over unchecked dust, construction debris and inconsistent enforcement across the district.

Suggestions ranged from bus connectivity to green belt handovers, with officials assuring fencing, plantations and field inspections. (HT Photo)

The meeting, hosted by HT, brought together officials from the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) and Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), experts and representatives from five resident welfare associations (RWAs). Participants said Gurugram’s pollution response has slipped into a familiar cycle of enforcement drives followed by inaction, even as dust continues to hang thick over arterial roads and construction debris piles up at junctions.

Residents demanded the creation of a dedicated task force to identify pollution hotspots, carry out regular field inspections and fix responsibility on contractors and agencies for repeat violations such as loose construction material on roadsides and unregulated dumping of construction and demolition (C&D) waste.

Gauri Sarin, founder of Making Model Gurugram, said the core problem lay in the gap between policy and enforcement. “GRAP measures are clear on paper, but what Gurugram needs is daily execution, sweeping, sprinkling, strict action at construction sites and real accountability at pollution hotspots,” she said, adding that transparency and citizen participation must be integral to monitoring efforts.

From sectors along the Dwarka Expressway, residents flagged missing basic infrastructure. Sunil Sareen, joint convener of the Dwarka Expressway Gurugram Development Association (DXPGDA), said, “There were no service roads, footpaths or green belts along the sector-dividing road between Sectors 102 and 102A and on the upper expressway, worsening dust exposure and safety risks.” Baban Rai, a resident of Emaar Imperial Gardens, said, “Planning gaps were evident despite rapid residential growth.” He proposed citizen-led maintenance of green belts, subject to GMDA permission and fencing, and suggested improved bus connectivity to Dwarka Sector 21 Metro station to reduce private vehicle use.

Meanwhile, Amit Jindal, RWA president of Vipul Greens (Sector 48), supported formally handing over well-maintained green belts to RWAs and said consulting local RWAs before launching projects would improve monitoring and reduce conflict.

Vineeta Khosla, RWA president of Greenwood City (Sector 45), listed sector-specific demands including “daily cleaning of the Sector 45/46 road stretch between Cyber Park and Artemis Hospital, green belt upkeep, stormwater drain cleaning, covering manholes on footpaths, curbing wrong-side driving, installing cameras near gates for challans and cleaning water tanks at the main boosting station.”

Responding to concerns, Faisal Ibrahim, head of Infra-I and superintending engineer (Infra-II), GMDA, said roads were being upgraded “one by one” and contractors would be held responsible for repairs. He assured RWAs that pedestrian pathways, footpaths and green belts would be maintained and that issues raised would be addressed “at the earliest”.

Meanwhile, Sandeep Dhundhwal, executive engineer, MCG, said enforcement against illegal dumping had been intensified. “The construction and demolition (C&D) waste has emerged as one of the most critical issues in Gurugram, with more than 2,000 tonnes generated daily against the Basai processing plant’s 1,500-tonne capacity. We have proposed establishing 30–35 demarcated dumping points across the city and enforcing direct waste collection under MCG supervision through authorised vendors,” he said.

GMDA officials said field teams would conduct regular checks, fencing would be installed on key stretches and contractors would face action if material is dumped on roads. Plantation drives would also be strengthened, though residents stressed that progress would be judged by cleaner roads and consistent enforcement, not announcements.