'Left office at 5, reached home at 11’: Gurgaon executive shares ordeal as heavy rain brings chaos
A LinkedIn post describing a six-hour commute has gone viral, sparking a larger conversation on infrastructure, urban planning, and safety.
Heavy rainfall in Gurgaon on Monday turned the city into a traffic nightmare, leaving thousands of commuters stranded for hours. What should have been a routine evening for office-goers quickly escalated into an ordeal, as waterlogged roads and poor traffic management brought the “Millennium City” to a standstill. Amid the rain, many commuters took to social media to share their experiences and question the city’s preparedness. One user called it “one of the toughest experiences of my life” after a 30-minute drive from Cyber City to Sector 49 stretched to six hours.
“Yesterday was one of the toughest experiences of my professional life,” Siddharth Bhardwaj, a Yatra.com employee, wrote in a LinkedIn post, detailing how he left his office at 5pm to head home to Sector 49, a journey that typically takes 30 to 45 minutes.
“What should have ideally taken 30–45 minutes turned into a six-hour ordeal. I finally reached home close to 11 PM – exhausted, drained, and deeply concerned,” Bhardwaj said.
He further described scenes from the gridlock. “Cars were lined up like ants, inching forward without any end in sight. People were stranded with phone batteries dying, some with car fuel running out. At one point, I personally felt nervous and helpless, stuck with no way forward or back,” he wrote.
“This wasn’t just about inconvenience – it was about safety, mental stress, and the sheer inefficiency of the infrastructure and traffic management in one of India’s most developed corporate hubs. Gurgaon is home to thousands of professionals, global companies, and startups, yet on a daily basis we continue to suffer through avoidable traffic mismanagement,” Bhardwaj added, before asking whether any real improvements in traffic planning, road infrastructure, and emergency management can be expected.
Also Read: ‘Nothing as scary as this': X user shares Google Maps view as heavy rain brings Gurgaon traffic to a halt
Social media reactions
The LinkedIn post struck a chord with many professionals, leading to a flood of comments from people who had similar experiences on Monday evening.
“There was no transport, i had to walk from office to home,” one user shared.
“Used to happen once every year. But there is growth here too. This year it’s happened twice. If you been living in Gurgaon long enough, you would know,” commented another.
“Either Corporate Employees or Corporate itself shall Leave Gurugram and Move to Planned cities like Noida. Strike where it hurts, or we remain just tax paying sheep!” suggested a third user.
ABOUT THE AUTHORBhavya SukhejaBhavya Sukheja is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 6 years of experience in digital journalism. She specialises in covering stories that reflect everyday human experiences, with a focus on viral videos, social media trends, and human-interest features that inform readers while sparking meaningful conversations. She loves chasing page views and finding stories that tug at readers’ heartstrings. Known for her strong news sense, Bhavya has a keen ability to spot emerging trends and craft angles that transform viral moments into impactful narratives. Her coverage spans pop culture, entertainment, global affairs, and the internet’s most talked-about topics, helping readers better understand the context behind what is trending online. Before joining Hindustan Times, Bhavya worked with Republic World and NDTV, where she developed her skills in real-time reporting and digital storytelling. Working in fast-paced newsrooms helped her build an editorial approach that prioritises accuracy, clarity, and audience engagement. Bhavya is driven by a curiosity about how people communicate and connect in the digital age. She is particularly interested in stories that highlight cultural shifts, shared emotions, and the evolving nature of online conversations. When she is not tracking trends or producing stories, Bhavya enjoys unplugging and spending time with her cat.Read More

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