More pump power to check flooding at Hero Honda Chowk, underpasses

Every year, backflow from the Badshahpur stormwater drain in Khandsa village—where the 30-metre-wide drain narrows to just 10 metres—leaves the Hero Honda Chowk and several other parts of the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway waterlogged.

To ensure that the Hero Honda Chowk does not get flooded during the monsoon like it did last year and in 2016, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has decided to double the capacity of the pumps installed at the junction and at the new underpasses built at Rajiv Chowk and Signature Towers Chowk.

Last year, almost 50 million litres of water was pumped out of the Hero Honda Chowk underpass after a downpour in August. (HT Photo)

The decision was taken on Saturday after a spot visit by senior officials of the district administration and the NHAI, including Gurugram deputy commissioner Amit Khatri, Commissioner of police Muhammad Akil and NHAI project director Ashok Sharma.

Every year, backflow from the Badshahpur stormwater drain in Khandsa village—where the 30-metre-wide drain narrows to just 10 metres—leaves the Hero Honda Chowk and several other parts of the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway waterlogged. Delayed by two years, the ongoing work to widen the city’s arterial stormwater drain was scheduled to get completed by April 30 (today).

If the deadline is met, it might help mitigate the issue of perennial waterlogging that the city experiences during the monsoon months. Last year, an estimated 50 million litres of water was pumped out of the Hero Honda Chowk underpass after a downpour on August 28. The entire exercise took two days to be completed.

The NHAI has also decided to remove the electric panels of the pump sets installed in the underpasses as last year, these had also go submerged in the water as a result of which, the equipment there could not work.

An obstructive has also been built near the underpass at Rajiv Chowk to ensure that water does not enter the underground structure.

Deputy commissioner Amit Khatri issued directions to desilt drains at Hero Honda Chowk and adjoining areas to ensure flow of stormwater is not obstructed. Khatri also asked officials to take all the required measures before the onset of monsoon.