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Heavy rain inundates key Gurugram roads, brings parts of city to standstill

Waterlogging was reported from Delhi-Jaipur Expressway near Narsinghpur, Sohna Road, Golf Course Extension Road, Basai, Hero Honda Chowk, Southern Peripheral Road

Published on: Sep 6, 2024, 08:43:21 IST
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A heavy spell of rain around 7 am on Friday inundated key roads in Gurugram and led to severe waterlogging that brought parts of the city to a standstill ahead of the rush hour. Waterlogging was reported from Delhi-Jaipur Expressway near Narsinghpur, Sohna Road, Golf Course Extension Road, Basai, Hero Honda Chowk, Southern Peripheral Road (SPR) and Subhash Chowk.

Office-goers bore the brunt of the downpour. (HT PHOTO)
Office-goers bore the brunt of the downpour. (HT PHOTO)

Commuters struggled to navigate through the flooded roads, and office-goers bore the brunt of the downpour amid traffic snarls.Anamika Chauhan, a mother of two, said she was on the road for over an hour before dropping her kids at school. “The traffic was barely moving, and the buses ahead were stuck. It was stressful knowing the kids would be late, and there was nothing we could do,” she said.

Deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said the administration was doing its best. “We are aware of the inconvenience caused by the rain, and our teams from GMDA [Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority], MCG [the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram], and the district administration have been deployed across the city to minimise disruption. Pumps have been set up at key waterlogging hotspots, and we are monitoring the situation.”

Teams from GMDA and MCG focused on critical waterlogging-prone areas but the heavy rains overwhelmed the system. The India Metrological Department said the city received 28 mm of rainfall over six hours until 8:30 am.

Narhari Singh Bangar, MCG commissioner, acknowledged the city’s infrastructure limitations. “Our personnel have been deployed at locations like Rajiv Chowk, Khandsa, Hero Honda Chowk, Millennium Metro Station, Subhash Chowk, Sector 15, Pataudi Road, Sector 10 and Signature Tower—areas prone to waterlogging. While we have set up pumps and coordinated with traffic police to clear jams, the underlying drainage issues need more substantial long-term solutions.”

Commuters said waterlogged roads were a recurring problem every monsoon. Vijay Yadav, a commuter from Sector 56 to Cyber City, said, “The waterlogging is a massive problem every time it rains. I was stuck on Golf Course Extension Road for nearly 45 minutes. While the authorities are doing their best to pump out water, the real issue is the drainage system, which needs a major overhaul.”

Police personnel were deployed early on the waterlogging prone stretches to manage the situation, said officials.

Anita Verma, who commutes by bus to Udyog Vihar, said nothing has changed in the last 10 years. “It is the same situation every year. My bus was delayed for over an hour because of the waterlogged roads. It is frustrating that there has not been any real progress. We need better drainage systems, not just temporary fixes.”

The administration promised to address the waterlogging issues. GMDA officials said they monitored vehicular movement through their Integrated Control and Command Centre. “We are working on improving the city’s drainage infrastructure, but it takes time. Long-term solutions are in the works, and we hope to see significant improvements soon,” said an official.

Residents urged authorities to implement permanent solutions as the city continues to face the challenges of poor urban infrastructure.

  • Leena Dhankhar
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Leena Dhankhar

    Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More