Frequent jams and poor infrastructure cast shadow on investment proposals

Thursday’s waterlogging and gridlock that brought Gurgaon to a standstill has cast a shadow on the proposed investments and memorandums of understanding worth thousands of crores signed during the Happening Haryana summit in March this year.

Thursday’s waterlogging and gridlock that brought Gurgaon to a standstill has cast a shadow on the proposed investments and memorandums of understanding worth thousands of crores signed during the Happening Haryana summit in March this year. Frequent jams and poor infrastructure in the city have already forced the growing IT industry to look for other locations.

Thursday’s waterlogging and gridlock that brought Gurgaon to a standstill. (Parveen Kumar/HT File Photo)

Sources said top industrialists, including foreign investors who met chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar at Haryana Bhawan in Delhi on Monday morning, cited poor infrastructure and frequent jams as major hindrances for investors.

They told him that investments were unlikely to come unless the state improved the basic infrastructure, particularly in Gurgaon and Faridabad.

“I met him along with other senior industry people. I spoke on behalf of the technology industry of Gurgaon and highlighted the plight of road infrastructure and connectivity. While the buildings and human capital are worldclass, the traffic situation is very bad. It turns worse during the rains in Gurgaon. I requested for Rapid Metro connectivity to Udyog Vihar. Better public transport is the only way out of the mess. I also emphasised the travails of crossing Shankar Chowk on NH8,” said Deep Kalra, CEO, Make My Trip, a Gurgaon- based travel portal.

“There was a clear hint that unless infrastructure with regard to roads, power, transmission and traffic is improved, investments are unlikely to happen,” said Col Raj Singla, president

Chambers of Industries of Udyog Vihar. He said the industries operating in Gurgaon and Manesar are expanding in other states and shifting from Haryana.

Manas Fuloria, CEO, Naggaro, who heads the chair of NASSCOM, Haryana, said that a number of companies are reported to have switched to emergency protocols as clients abroad are becoming nervous.

“The reputation of Gurgaon has been hit because of perennial jams and similar infrastructure issues,” said Fuloria.