Traffic jams, waterlogging across Gurugram after heavy rain lashes city

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials said that at least 0.5mm rainfall was recorded in Gurugram from 8.30am on Wednesday

Heavy rainfall in Gurugram on Wednesday morning resulted in severe waterlogging and traffic jams in several areas of the city, especially the Narsinghpur stretch of the Delhi-Gurugram Expressway, and areas near Basai and Golf Course Extension Road. There was also significant congestion on National Highway 48 (NH-48) towards Delhi and Sohna Road.

Heavy traffic and waterlogging on National Highway 48 near Narsinghpur village in Gurugram on Wednesday morning. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials said that at least 0.5mm rainfall was recorded in Gurugram from 8.30am on Wednesday. Heavy waterlogging was reported in sectors along the Dwarka Expressway, and Sectors 9, 10, 21, 23, 48, and 52. Narsinghpur Chowk, Hero Honda Chowk, Rajiv Chowk, Vatika Chowk, Iffco Chowk, Dwarka Expressway, Golf Course Extension Road, Southern Peripheral Road, Udyog Vihar, Sohna Road, Basai, Khandsa Road, and Pataudi Road were the key affected regions.

“Heavy traffic congestion has been reported in Narsinghpur which is a low-lying area. Traffic police personnel are already on the scene to regulate vehicular movement as needed,” said Vikas (single name), assistant commissioner of police (Gurugram traffic police headquarters). He added that at least five heavy-capacity pumps of the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) have been installed at the Narsinghpur to drain out the excess water.

Vikram Singh, executive engineer at GMDA, said, “The team is on the ground to quickly respond to waterlogging concerns. Pumps have been deployed at waterlogging hot spots such as Narsinghpur, Khandsa Chowk, Rajiv Chowk, and Sector 67 to pump out accumulated stormwater in these low-lying areas. Personnel are engaged to clear out road gullies and remove blockages from water chutes and drains to keep the carriageways free of waterlogging. Labour has been deployed to remove garbage from the mouths of road gullies. Pumping is ongoing at Sector 67 Bestech and Khandsa Chowk.”

Municipal Corporation of Gururgram (MCG) commissioner Narhari Singh Bangar said that their teams are deployed on the key stretches to remove excess water to ensure smooth travel. “More than 35 people from MCG checked and cleared waterlogging using pumps where it was required,” he said.

Chaitali Mandhotra, a member of the Ardee City residents welfare association (RWA), said that lanes in their neighbourhood were waterlogged. “MCG dug up a road to lay an RMC road but no work has taken place for the last two weeks. The contractor says that he does not have material to complete the work, while MCG says work is going on. Now residents are unable to step out of their houses here,” she said.

Sunil Sareen, former president of Imperial Gardens, Sector 102, and deputy convenor of Dwarka Expressway Gurugram Development Association (DXP-GDA), said that the master main road of Gurugram connecting the Dwarka Expressway, and Sectors 4,7,9, and Old Railway Road, get waterlogged after short rain spells, causing massive traffic jams. “MCG and GMDA need to clear the sewers in this area. It becomes difficult to commute on these stretches when waterlogging causes traffic jams,” he said.

Sanjay Agarwal, retired air vice marshal and a resident of ATS Tourmaline in Sector 109, said that their 24 metres internal road in Sector 109, which links the ATS Tourmaline, Chintels Serenity, Brisk Lumbini, and Sobha International City highrise societies, experiences waterlogging up to a depth of three feet. “This road does not have a stormwater drainage pipeline. It is also riddled with big potholes,” he said.

Ankur Ahuja, a resident of Sector 61, said, “With a spell of rain, the entire stretch of Golf Course Extension Road becomes jampacked. The authorities need to find a solution to this recurring problem. I had to cancel my meetings for the day as there was no way to reach the office on time.”

Meanwhile, IMD issued a nowcast alert for Gurugram and neighbouring areas for thunderstorms and lightning with moderate rain.