Huda on drain-building spree to address waterlogging

The Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) has embarked upon an ambitious project to channelise Leg 1, Leg 2 and the Badshahpur drain at several stretches.

The Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) has embarked upon an ambitious project to channelise Leg 1, Leg 2 and the Badshahpur drain at several stretches.

On Tuesday, commuters faced difficulty while using the waterlogged Delhi-Gurgaon expressway service lane. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

The authority, along with the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG), National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and other agencies, has started work on Khandsa drain near Hero Honda Chowk and beyond to ensure that excess water flows to Najafgarh drain.

“We have channelised 92% of the Khost drain. From Badshahpur to the national highway, 80% of the work has been completed and a 2-km stretch beyond Khandsa has been channelised and cleaned,” Shweta Sharma, executive engineer, Huda, said.

Huda has also built a culvert at Vatika Chowk and is digging a kuccha drain along the SPR to divert excess water. In addition, the MCG has also laid a pipeline in front of the Honda factory to divert water to the Badshapur drain that overflows onto Hero Honda Chowk.

“To divert water from the Hero Honda Chowk, we have permitted the NHAI to build an additional stormwater drain along the NH-8 to shift water to the Khandsa drain,” Sharma said.

Huda is also cleaning the drain from Gadholi Khurd to the railway culvert and 90% of the work has been completed.

A 48-crore project to build a channel from Dhankote to Najafgarh drain has also been proposed by the irrigation department. Sharma says once these projects take off, waterlogging will be resolved to a great extent.

Compared to new Gurgaon areas, old Gurgaon fares better as far as stormwater management is concerned.

Natural drains and nullahs ensure there is no waterlogging in these areas. “We have to give 2 to 3 hours for rainwater to dissipate from the surface. In most of old Gurgaon, water from Jharsa bundh, Patel Nagar, Civil Lines and Mor Chowk is diverted to the Basai Road and connected to the Huda master drain,” said Pradeep Kumar, superintending engineer.