BJP MP Rao Inderjit Singh has blamed development during the Congress era for Gurugram’s recurring waterlogging.
The ex-Congress minister said construction over old drainage routes worsened the problem and suggested building underground tunnels along old drainage routes to carry rainwater towards the Yamuna.
“We are still dealing with the consequences of this development that happened during the Congress era today,” he told reporters on Wednesday. “Waterlogging has been occurring in Gurugram for years. The main reason is that development has taken place over the old, traditional drains that used to carry water from the hills to the Yamuna,” Singh said.
He said underground tunnels, similar to those built for the metro, should be constructed along the routes of the old drains.
“The only way to fix this now is to construct underground tunnels, similar to those built for the Metro, along the paths of the old drains to channel the water through those original routes,” he said.
ALSO READ | After children stranded in rain, admin sets new safety protocol
{{/usCountry}}ALSO READ | After children stranded in rain, admin sets new safety protocol
{{/usCountry}}Singh described the current measures as a temporary fix. “What we are doing right now is essentially a 'band-aid' solution. It offers some relief, but if we block the water in one place, it finds a way out elsewhere. The government is working on this, and we are arranging the necessary funds,” he said.
Inderjit Singh's Congress era
Rao Inderjit Singh himself was part of the Congress government during much of the period he blamed for Gurugram’s infrastructure woes. He began his political career with Congress in 1977, served as a Haryana minister, and later became a Union minister in the UPA government.
He won the Gurgaon Lok Sabha seat on a Congress ticket in 2009 before joining the BJP in 2014.
Deep Dive
What caused the sinkhole at IFFCO Chowk in Gurugram?
How can Gurugram address its persistent waterlogging issues?
Why does Gurugram experience frequent waterlogging during rains?
Sinkhole opens up in Gurugram
His remarks came after a section of the service road at IFFCO Chowk caved in on Tuesday, creating a 10-foot-by-10-foot sinkhole following the collapse of a master sewer line.
The sinkhole opened on the Delhi-Jaipur side of the road. Traffic police barricaded the damaged stretch, while the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) closed both service lanes.
ALSO READ | Gurugram’s rain woes: IFFCO Chowk road caves in, dry taps, flood water recedes slowly
The cave-in came a day after heavy rainfall caused major waterlogging and traffic congestion across Gurugram. Several major roads and intersections were inundated, severely disrupting movement. By Wednesday morning, floodwater receded from most areas.
Traffic congestion was reported on Tuesday evening after the two service lanes were closed. Vehicles were subsequently diverted, officials said.
GMDA starts repair work
The GMDA said a master sewer line connecting Ambience Mall and Rajiv Chowk runs beneath or alongside the affected road.
GMDA executive engineer Bhim Arya said repairs would begin on Wednesday and an inspection would be carried out to establish why the sewer line collapsed.
NHAI said preliminary findings suggested that a leak or failure in the sewer line may have caused soil erosion, leading to the cave-in. The agency has asked GMDA to complete repairs urgently, calling the sinkhole a safety risk.
The cave-in came amid fresh disruptions to water supply in several Gurugram sectors, including 46, 48, 49, 50, 52, 56, 57 and 58 to 76, following damage to water and sewage pipelines.