Sushant Lok 1 residents seek end to waterlogging woes this year

The stagnant water damages infrastructure, stalls vehicles, and floods basements, posing serious health and safety risks, residents claim

Residents of A-Block in Sushant Lok 1 have been battling severe waterlogging for years, with even moderate rainfall turning their locality into a flood zone, locals claim. Despite multiple complaints to the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), and the Deputy Commissioner’s office, the issue remains unresolved, they alleged.

Sushant Lok 1 residents with chief engineer Manoj Yadav on Thursday. (HT Photo)

The stagnant water damages infrastructure, stalls vehicles, and floods basements, posing serious health and safety risks, residents claim, citing an incident from last year, where an elderly resident was nearly swept away before being rescued by locals. The crisis, residents say, is aggravated by the lack of a proper drainage system and the area’s low-lying geography.

Seeking solutions

Frustrated with inaction, residents turned to Making Model Gurugram, an initiative led by Gauri Sarin. Siddharth Gupta, a resident, said Sarin guided them to the Samadhaan Shivir (resolution camp) organised by MCG on November 25 last year, where they directly presented their grievances to the Municipal Commissioner Ashok Kumar Garg.

“At the event, they presented their grievances directly to the municipal commissioner. Recognising the severity of the issue, the commissioner instructed the chief engineer to take immediate steps to address the problem,” Gupta said.

Gupta emphasised the urgency of preventive action before the monsoon season. “The residents cannot afford to relive last year’s nightmare. We have pushed for a sustainable solution, and we expect action to follow swiftly,” he added.

Following this intervention, on February 4, residents formally submitted a representation to chief engineer Manoj Yadav, detailing concerns such as clogged drains, uncleaned underground channels, and stagnant sewer water seeping onto roads. They also flagged the lack of coordination in new drainage projects on Hamilton Court Road, fearing their area’s outlets might not connect to the newly constructed drains.

In response, chief engineer Yadav convened a follow-up meeting with residentson Thursday and assured them that a work order had been issued for a sump pump installation. He personally contacted the contractor to expedite the work. Additionally, junior engineer Milan was tasked with inspecting the site and recommending further measures, including clearing choked drains, elevating speed breakers to prevent backflow, and ensuring the sump pump’s timely installation.

Shortly after, Milan visited the affected areas and briefed residents on the proposed plan, locals said. Discussions also focused on preventing water from surrounding localities—Chakkarpur and DLF Phase 4—from flowing into Sushant Lok 1, a persistent problem due to the neighbourhood’s low elevation, they added.

Although a tender has been awarded for the sump pit development, residents and Making Model Gurugram are pushing for a more comprehensive drainage solution, Sarin said. “Temporary fixes are not enough. We need long-term planning to ensure that our homes and streets do not turn into waterlogged hazards every monsoon,” she added.