Outsider: ‘Ggm gives you career, but lags in planning’

For 42-year-old Sheesh Ram Yadav, Gurugram represents both aspiration and contradiction

For 42-year-old Sheesh Ram Yadav, Gurugram represents both aspiration and contradiction.

Sheesh Ram Yadav (Parveen Kumar/HT)

The city transformed his professional life, offering opportunities which according to him would have been difficult to find elsewhere, but it has also exposed him to the consequences of unplanned urban growth.

Yadav moved to Gurugram from Mahendergarh, Haryana nearly 20 years ago, driven by the ambition to build his career in a city that was rapidly emerging as India’s corporate capital.

“I came here because Gurugram had opportunities that smaller towns simply couldn’t offer. Every major company was setting up offices here, jobs were growing and people from across the country were arriving to build their careers. It felt like the right place to shape my future,” he said.

Yadav said that he began his professional journey in the banking sector, where he spent several years understanding finance, customer relations and investments. But as Gurugram’s skyline expanded and the real estate sector boomed and he sensed a new opportunity.

Leaving the stability of a banking career behind, he started working as a consultant for real estate companies, advising developers and clients. The experience gave him confidence to establish his own venture, which now provides consultancy and business services in the real estate sector.

“The city teaches you to dream bigger,” he said. “It rewards hard work. If you are willing to take risks, Gurugram gives you the platform to grow.”

“Gurugram has given me my identity and business. My dream is to contribute to the city’s growth by developing projects that focus not just on modern living but also on better planning, infrastructure and sustainable development,” he said.

“You meet people from every state and many countries. The corporate culture gives you international exposure without leaving India. That is Gurugram’s biggest strength. It has created opportunities not just for professionals but also for entrepreneurs like me.”

Yet, despite its economic success, Yadav believes the city’s biggest challenge remains poor planning.

“Gurugram has grown much faster than its infrastructure. Roads are widened after congestion becomes a repeated issue. Drainage systems are upgraded only after repeated flooding. Basic civic infrastructure has struggled to keep pace with development.”

He said that recurring traffic congestion, waterlogging during the monsoon and pressure on civic amenities have become everyday realities for residents.

“The biggest problem is not growth—it is unplanned growth. Development should happen with proper planning, not as a reaction to problems after they arise.”

“My only hope is that Gurugram’s infrastructure evolves as rapidly as its economy. If planning improves, there is no reason why it cannot become one of the finest cities in the world.”

Sheesh Ram Yadav is a resident of a society in Gwal Pahari and is the director of Yugen infra.