Heavy downpour leads to waterlogging, traffic snarls in Gurgaon

Commuters were stuck for more than an hour at various locations — Huda City Centre Metro station, Sector 40, Golf Course Extension road and internal roads of various sectors — after it rained in the afternoon.

A spell of heavy rainfall in the city left several roads waterlogged and resulted in snarls at important junctions on Wednesday.

Waterlogging in Sector 38. (HT PHOTO)

Commuters were stuck for more than an hour at various locations — Huda City Centre Metro station, Sector 40, Golf Course Extension road and internal roads of various sectors — after it rained in the afternoon.

Commuters reported long snarls at Vatika Chowk, Iffco Chowk, Shankar Chowk and on other internal roads for two hours. Several vehicles also broke down in the middle of the roads near Sector 38, Huda City Centre Metro station and Sector 40.

Three minor accidents were also reported from sectors 38 and 40 on Wednesday afternoon, as bikers fell due to potholes on the roads that were not visible due to waterlogging.

“I was scared when I saw waterlogging in Sector 40. I saw bikers falling at the corner of the road due to potholes. A school bus was also stuck there and it took more than 40 minutes just to cross the half-kilometre stretch,” said Dr MK Singh, a resident of Sector 40.

Residents remain apprehensive of the city’s preparedness in dealing with rainfall and some evoked memories of Gurujam that took place last July.

“I had gone to a mall on Sohna Road for a party and the weather was pleasant when I reached. When we came out, I was shocked to see the traffic congestion on the stretch; it took more than two hours to reach Sector 15,” said Shalini Baweja, a resident.

Traffic officials were deployed at major intersections. They said the major challenge they faced was ensuring smooth traffic flow in limited space, due to roadside parking of vehicles, especially at Huda City Centre Metro station and Sohna Road.

Deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Simardeep Singh said, “We took prompt action on receiving information about the congestion, though the traffic flow was smooth at major places. Congestion was reported from the areas where roads are full of potholes and waterlogging led to a gridlock.”

“We have written to Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) and Huda regarding the potholes and the problems are likely to be addressed once the roads are repaired,” Singh said.

According to the officials of the India Meteorological Department, the state has received 85% less rainfall this year in comparison to the other states. They said the rain will bring down the temperature of the city by 4 degrees Celsius.

Gurgaon district received 32.6mm rain on Wednesday. The maximum temperature recorded was 34.7°C and the minimum temperature recorded was 28.5°C on Wednesday, an IMD official said.

The city has been reeling under a dry spell, which is causing residents discomfort. Over the next 48 hours, however, officials have predicted rainfall in Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab.

The sky is likely to remain overcast through the week and thunderstorms, accompanied by lightning, are also forecasted.