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Same woes haunt Gurugram, as city sees another rainy day
Arterial routes such as Sohna Road, Rajiv Chowk, Golf Course Extension Road, MG Road and Southern Peripheral Road (SPR) were severely impacted, with thousands of commuters stranded for hours
Gurugram: A torrential downpour on Thursday left Gurugram struggling to keep its roads and traffic systems intact, causing massive traffic snarls across the city’s busiest stretches. Arterial routes such as Sohna Road, Rajiv Chowk, Golf Course Extension Road, MG Road and Southern Peripheral Road (SPR) were severely impacted, with thousands of commuters stranded for hours. The city came to a standstill as waterlogged roads, malfunctioning traffic signals, and a shortage of personnel turned the morning rush hour into a nightmare.
By 10am, residents and office-goers took to social media, flooding platforms with images and videos of submerged roads, stalled vehicles, and long traffic jams. Sohna Road, one of the city’s main access points, resembled a clogged canal, forcing commuters to abandon their vehicles and wade through knee-deep water. Office-goers reported being stuck for over two hours while covering barely a few kilometres.
Severe waterlogging
According to Satyapal Yadav, assistant commissioner of police (traffic) in Gurugram, several parts of the city were waterlogged, with severe disruptions seen at Rajiv Chowk, Hero Honda Chowk, and Narsinghpur along the Delhi-Jaipur expressway (NH-48). “At least 10 dewatering pumps were activated across major locations like Sohna Road and Jharsa to pump out rainwater,” Yadav said.
The affected locations included Sheetla Mata temple, Tulip Chowk, Malibu Towne, Badshahpur bus stand, IMT Chowk, Signature Tower, Rampura Chowk, Sector-37, and Khandsa foot-over-bridge, among others. “Our zonal officers and their teams remained deployed at all these locations to guide commuters and ease traffic snarls caused by waterlogging,” added Yadav.
In addition, 34 vehicle breakdowns were reported on the Dwarka Expressway service lanes and other major routes, with traffic police towed vehicles using cranes stationed at key intersections.
There was also a minor road cave-in near DLF Phase-II in the Cyber City area, which was quickly addressed by local contractors in the rain on Thursday morning.
Heavy rainfall and weather alerts
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), an orange alert was issued for Gurugram and surrounding areas after the city recorded 40.5mm of rainfall between 8:30am and 5:30pm on Thursday. “This is significant rainfall for Gurugram, especially as this July’s rainfall totals have surpassed the usual average by 31%,” said an IMD official.
In addition to the city’s woes, moderate to heavy rainfall with thunderstorms and lightning is expected in the coming days, till Saturday. The city’s maximum temperature was recorded at 29.5°C, with a minimum of 25.2°C. The Air Quality Index (AQI) was unavailable on the Central Pollution Control Board website due to insufficient data.
Citizens annoyed
Frustration among residents reached new heights as the waterlogged roads and traffic issues continued for hours. Manjeev Aggarwal, a resident of Sohna Road, expressed his concerns on social media, urging for reforms in the city’s municipal administration. “We pray to the PM to deputise the Indore MC commissioner to MCG so that Gurugram can improve. Gurugram was once called Jalgram, then Kachragram, and today it’s being called Hellgram,” he lamented.
GMDA’s efforts
In response to the chaos, GMDA officials said that waterlogging was witnessed in various parts of the city. “Waterlogging was reported at Subhash Chowk, Narsinghpur, Bakhtavar Chowk, and Medanta Road,” said a GMDA spokesperson. “However, the water along the Narsinghpur service lane was quickly channelled into the newly constructed kachcha drain built by GMDA. This drain system was instrumental in preventing further waterlogging at Rajiv Chowk and Mayfield Garden Road,” the spokesperson added.
Pump sets were installed at Khandsa Chowk and Narsinghpur to facilitate drainage, and road gullies were cleared at various locations across the city.
MCG’s role
Pradeep Dahiya, MCG Commissioner, highlighted the efforts of his team in managing the waterlogging crisis. “MCG teams have played a crucial role in dewatering operations during this rainfall. We had teams working not just on main roads but also on internal sectors, colonies, and streets to alleviate the waterlogging issue,” Dahiya said.
The MCG had anticipated waterlogging in sensitive areas and had prepared in advance. “We ensured quick action in clearing debris, and the gardening teams worked swiftly to remove fallen trees to prevent further traffic disruptions,” he added.
Dahiya also assured citizens that the MCG would continue to monitor vulnerable areas closely. “Our priority is to eliminate the issue of waterlogging across the city. We will ensure that similar systems are in place for future rainy events, so residents experience minimal inconvenience.”
A City on Edge
Despite the tireless efforts of civic bodies, the situation has underscored the city’s vulnerability to heavy rainfall and poor infrastructure management. With more rainfall predicted over the next few days, Gurugram’s residents hope for better preparedness and a more responsive administration. The incident has sparked renewed calls for long-term infrastructure improvements to prevent such disruptions in the future.
