Waterlogging-prone spots on MCG’s radar

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram is creating a database of waterlogging spots by roping in residents to report details of such spots through a web hyperlink. Officials said the initiative, a first in which residents have been included in monsoon preparedness, will help them execute remedial measures to mitigate waterlogging this monsoon season and subsequently, carry out large-scale measures for a long-term solution.

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram is creating a database of waterlogging spots by roping in residents to report details of such spots through a web hyperlink. Officials said the initiative, a first in which residents have been included in monsoon preparedness, will help them execute remedial measures to mitigate waterlogging this monsoon season and subsequently, carry out large-scale measures for a long-term solution.

HT Image

The hyperlink — http://bit.ly/report-water-logging — is being circulated by the MCG on social media platforms and also pinned to the home page of its website, www.mcg.gov.in. By clicking the hyperlink, residents can report the location of the waterlogging, the extent of it, average duration, type of waterlogging, causes, and possible solutions, along with their basic details, on a web document and submit to the civic body for perusal.

All such details will be based on the observation of residents over the last three years, said officials.

“Besides the basic details, residents will have to list key details, such as the depth of water stagnation, ranging from less than a foot to more than five feet. Similarly, they will also have to list out the type of water stagnation, such as rainwater, greywater, sewer overflow, industrial waste, or any other type of stagnation. For time duration, residents can report about waterlogging ranging from less than an hour to more than a week,” said a senior MCG official privy to the matter.

The official cited above said that the rationale behind the move is to deal with the waterlogging crisis at a micro-level.

“Waterlogging has been a persistent problem in Gurugram, especially over the past decade. Instead of tackling it in isolation, MCG wants to solve it on a citywide scale. Hence, support from residents has been sought,” said Chahat Sanghvi, consultant to the MCG commissioner.

The development evoked mixed reactions among residents.

Sandeep Kumar, a resident of Sector 10, said that the MCG already has various social media platforms on which complaints are not being addressed. “I have seen various complaints on MCG’s Twitter and Facebook pages going unanswered while even in the ones that are acknowledged, the user who had uploaded the original complaint posts a fresh complaint regarding inaction. As the MCG has failed on this repeatedly, this new move of asking residents to report waterlogging is also likely to be a futile exercise,” said Kumar.

Harshit Shukla, a resident of Sector 50, said that there are many areas in his sector where waterlogging takes place. He said that often, residents are unaware of ways to approach the MCG and the civic body’s move to seek help from them will address this missing link. “There are several parts across the sector where waterlogging occurs. Usually, rainwater stagnates there for one to two hours. By the time residents manage to contact MCG and officials come for inspection, the rainwater recedes. Through the online document, we can list details of such points and prompt MCG to take action,” said Shukla.