Residents question timing of Gurugram roadworks as monsoon intensifies

Residents alleged dust, potholes and exposed bitumen persisted for months, while the civic body attributed delays to a global bitumen shortage.

Residents across multiple sectors have raised concerns over ongoing and pending roadwork projects, questioning their timing as the monsoon sets in and rains intensify. They complained that incomplete repairs during rainy season could lead to further delays, worsen commuting conditions, and create additional hazards on dug-up and uneven stretches.

Road being recarpeted near Nirvana County on Tuesday (HT)

At Nirvana Country in Sector 50, work on laying the bituminous surface resumed after Tuesday’s rainfall -- nearly two months after the existing layer was removed. Residents said the road, which they considered to be in serviceable condition, was stripped of its bitumen coat, leaving them to navigate dust, potholes, and uneven stretches ever since.

Ruchika Sethi Takkar, a resident, said repeated grievances over the prolonged delay, dust pollution from exposed bitumen, and the decision to resume work immediately after heavy rainfall had gone unaddressed. “Our concern is the sequence of events. A serviceable road was stripped weeks before the monsoon, residents were left to endure dust and deteriorating conditions for nearly two months, and when work finally resumed, it began immediately after rainfall. Residents deserve an explanation for the delay, the prolonged exposure to removed bitumen, and the quality assurance measures being adopted,” she said.

Shibani Atwal, a resident of the Espace Block in Nirvana Country, said she and her family had fallen ill due to the bitumen piles placed directly opposite her house. “My daughter, my grandmother and I have all been sick because of the bitumen,” she said.

Similar grievances emerged from Sector 45, where recarpeting work on 10-metre roads has been ongoing for four months. Puneet Pahwa, general secretary of the Sector 45 RWA, said, “While MCG issues work orders on time, we understand there has been a shortage of bitumen. However, there appears to be no concrete planning by either the contractor or the MCG to ensure completion within stipulated timelines. The monitoring mechanism is also weak. Carrying out bitumen work during the monsoon is a recipe for poor-quality roads.”

In Sector 46, work on road revamping began three months ago but has progressed at a snail’s pace, residents said, adding that not a single road has been properly recarpeted. “Monsoon is here, the work is not completed. Half the sector has been dug up. Roads are again not in proper shape, which is every year’s story,” said Balbir Singh, a Sector 46 resident.

A resident of Sector 77 also complained that a fully functional road was recently stripped, forcing residents to contend with dust and potholes.

A senior MCG official attributed the delays in several projects to a shortage of bitumen. “We have tried to complete most roadworks within the stipulated timeline. However, some projects were delayed due to a shortage of bitumen, which arose following disruptions linked to the US-Iran conflict,” the official said.

Responding to concerns over bitumen being laid during the monsoon, the official said the matter would be examined. “We will get the issue verified, and if any irregularity is found in the execution of the work, appropriate action will be taken,” he added.