Junior engineer suspended for inaction over Gurugram Sector 15 sump well

The official, identified as Ravinder Kumar, was suspended with immediate effect for negligence and prolonged inaction

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) on Sunday suspended a junior engineer for ignoring repeated directives over the past several months to install a power connection to activate the motor pumps at the sump well in Gulmohar Park in Sector 15, which resulted in heavy water logging in the area during rainfall in the past few weeks. A sump well is used to prevent flooding by diverting excess water away from an area.

Water logging in Gurugram Sector 15. (HT Archive)

The official, identified as Ravinder Kumar, was suspended with immediate effect for negligence and prolonged inaction pending a detailed departmental inquiry. MCG officials said that Kumar did not arrange the electricity connection needed to activate the sump pump system despite several verbal and written directions.

“This is a clear case of dereliction of duty. Public infrastructure such as sump wells are critical during monsoon, and any negligence that risks public safety and convenience will not be tolerated,” said MCG commissioner Pradeep Dahiya, while confirming the suspension order. Dahiya personally inspected the location earlier this month following resident complaints of water logging.

MCG officials said that an internal review has begun to identify other locations across the city where sump well systems or pumping stations may be in disrepair or non-functional. A monitoring cell will soon be formed to ensure real-time updates on pump functionality ahead of peak monsoon.

Sector 15 residents welcomed the move but urged faster resolution. “We have been facing this issue for nearly a year. Even light rains create panic here. The suspension shows that MCG is serious but the bigger challenge is timely repair and installation of working systems,” said Priya Malhotra, a resident of Gulmohar Park.

Gurugram Sector 15 and nearby areas have repeatedly faced flood-like situations during rains due to blocked or inactive drainage and pumping infrastructure.

During the suspension period, Kumar’s headquarters will be the office of the additional commissioner 1, MCG. He will receive subsistence allowance as per service rules but cannot leave the station without prior approval from the competent authority.

The suspension order has been circulated to all senior municipal officials, including the chief engineer, all additional commissioners, joint commissioners, executive engineers, the chief town planner, and the accounts and audit departments.