Monsoon worsens Gurugram roads as over 219km of repairs remain pending

MCG has completed 177km of the 396km targeted for 2026. The remaining stretches are expected to be taken up after the monsoon.

Road repair works that residents say should have been completed before the onset of the monsoon have been delayed across Gurugram, with persistent rain and waterlogging worsening craters and potholes, making several stretches increasingly unsafe for commuters, particularly at night.

Residents of Sector 46 said potholes, exposed bitumen, construction debris and waterlogging have made several roads unsafe, especially during night-time travel. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

Residents alleged that road repair and construction projects have been progressing at a sluggish pace for months despite repeated complaints through the CM Window grievance portal, leaving damaged roads unattended as monsoon showers further deteriorated their condition.

According to the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), more than 219 kilometres of roads still require repairs and revamping. Under the annual city action plan, the civic body has identified a total road network of 611km for repair and upgradation. Of this, MCG has targeted revamping 396km of roads in 2026, while the remaining 215km are scheduled for completion in 2027. Of the 396km of roads targeted for repair and upgradation in 2026, MCG has completed work on 177km so far.

Puneet Pahwa, general secretary of the residents’ welfare association (RWA) in Sector 45, said the sector’s 18-metre road has been awaiting repairs for the past two years despite repeated complaints. “This also reflects poorly on both the contractors and MCG officials. They should regularly inspect these roads, as they are still covered under the defect liability period,” he said.

Kundan Lal Sharma, general secretary of the Sector 21 RWA, said officials had assured residents that internal roads would be revamped before the rains. “The revamp of the sector’s internal roads began on July 5 last year, but even after a year, the project is yet to be completed,” he said.

Residents of Sector 46 and South City-1 also alleged prolonged delays. Balbir Singh, a resident of Sector 46, said repair work has continued since February. “There are gaps along the sides of the roads where garbage has started accumulating. Near the market, bitumen has been left uncovered, while construction and demolition (C&D) waste and road debris remain piled up instead of being cleared from the sector,” he said.

Sagar Bhola, president of the South City-1 RWA, alleged that residents had raised concerns over the quality of work on the ongoing smart road project. “The project is progressing slowly, and substandard material is being used. This is a smart road project on which nearly ₹7 crore is being spent, so the quality of work should meet the required standards,” he said, adding that complaints were submitted during a recent Samadhan Shivir.

In response, a junior engineer with the MCG told HT that the project was delayed due to design revisions. “Some changes were incorporated following feedback from residents, which resulted in delays. If residents have concerns regarding the use of substandard material, they can approach us and we will conduct inspections to verify the quality of the work,” he said, asking not to be named.

Vijay Dhaka, chief engineer of MCG, said several projects were delayed because of a bitumen shortage caused by the US-Iran conflict. “While some projects were in their final stages, several could not be completed before the onset of the monsoon. We will resume and complete these projects once the monsoon season ends later this year. If residents have any complaints regarding the quality of work being carried out, we will send our teams to inspect the site and take appropriate action,” he said.

MCG officials said contractors will not face penalties for delays caused by the bitumen shortage. However, they added that action will be taken against contractors where projects have been delayed without any valid reason, including under applicable contractual provisions.