Outsider: ‘A city that lost its peace to growth’

When Vanita Pasricha left her house in central Delhi and moved to Gurugram in 2011, she thought she was trading the chaos of the Capital for a quieter and more spacious lifestyle

When Vanita Pasricha left her house in central Delhi and moved to Gurugram in 2011, she thought she was trading the chaos of the Capital for a quieter and more spacious lifestyle.

Vanita Pasricha (HT)

“It wasn’t an easy decision,” said the 68-year-old resident of Sushant Lok-1. “But we wanted more space and a better quality of life. Gurugram looked like the perfect place.”

15 years later, she said she often questions that decision.

Pasricha said that she remembers Gurugram as a city that still had room to breathe. The roads were relatively empty, neighbourhoods felt secure, and there was a sense of community among residents. Peacocks were a common sight in the area around her home, and mornings were quieter than they had ever been in Delhi.

“There was peace. People knew each other, and the city had not become so crowded,” she said.

Over the years, however, she said she watched Gurugram transform into one of the country’s fastest-growing urban centres. While the skyline has changed dramatically, she believes the city’s basic infrastructure has failed to keep pace.

“Every year there are more residential societies, more vehicles and more people, but the roads remain broken, drainage problems continue, and civic services have only worsened. There aren’t enough resources for everyone.”

She said even basic infrastructure, such as colony-boosting stations, remains poorly maintained despite repeated complaints.

“What surprises me is not that problems exist, but that they continue for years without anyone resolving them,” she said.

“People spend crores to buy homes here and still struggle with basic facilities. That’s difficult to understand,” she said.

Pasricha said that she has built a life in the city over the last decade and a half. Friends, neighbours and familiar routines now tie her to Gurugram. Yet she admits that if she were making the decision today, she would probably choose differently.

“I came here looking for a peaceful life,” said Pasricha. “The city gave me that in the beginning. But somewhere along the way, Gurugram became a victim of its own development. It kept growing, but not in a way that made life better for the people already living here.”