Gurugram fears a repeat of 2018

Sumedha Sharma

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Visuals of Mumbai paralysed by incessant heavy rains have made Gurugram city jittery. The millennium city that made headlines with images of boats being used at the flooded Hero Honda Chowk underpass during the monsoons last year is fearful following the forecast of heavy rainfall this year. Local residents are accustomed to flooding of some parts in the city. Gurugram had the worst monsoon nightmare in July 2016 when the entire city was brought to a standstill due to flashfloods. Hundreds of vehicles were stranded for hours as the biggest traffic jam of the National Capital Region (NCR) called ‘Gurujam’ got international coverage. The unprecedented jam shocked everyone and the crisis during the monsoons in Gurugram made the state government to sort out the problem on priority.

Though many initiatives were promised and some were even taken, so far no concrete solution has been worked out, making flooding during monsoons a perennial problem. While talks of preparedness for monsoons are heard throughout the year, any concrete measures are still to be implemented in the city. A recent survey by the Municipal Corporation Gurugram has enlisted 38 sensitive areas in the city that will be prone to flooding this year as well. Ironic as it may sound, but the list consists of places such as the Hero Honda Chowk, which has been a consistent headache for the last three years and over 50 plans have been made to deal with the chaos there.

Natural drainage system lost to infrastructure boom

While many may find it hard to believe but Gurugram once possessed one of the best water management systems established by the British. The British built 118 check dams around natural lakes in Gurugram, Faridabad, Mewat and surrounding areas to control flooding during monsoons and recharge groundwater. It served the area well until 1950s, as no floods were ever reported. 

According to records of the Irrigation Department, flash floods were never reported in Gurgaon till 1998, as the city had a perfect natural drainage system. Till the Badshahpur drain was constructed, the city's drainage system was primarily dependent upon a network of natural drains. However, all thanks to the realty and infrastructure boom of late 1990s that most of these drains vanished and the capacity of natural drains reduced by 40 per cent. These natural channels, which once provided easy drainage of storm water from Aravalli hills (considered responsible for 80 per cent of logging), have either been encroached upon, acquired by builders, or have become dumping grounds of sewage, silt and construction waste.

There are three major natural drains — Nathupur drain, L2 drain and Badshahpur drain — covering 47 km area in the city. Traditionally, the 7-km-long L2 drain used to flow from Jharsa, through Sectors 9, 10, 12, 14 and 15; while the 30-km-long Badshahpur drain carried water from Ghata, Golf Course Extension Road and neighbouring areas. Rainwater from the Golf Course Road and Sectors 27, 28, 43, 45 and 46 used to flow into the 10-km-long Nathupur drain. Though the trio still exist hundreds of smaller natural drains, which emptied the flow from the Aravalli hills and low-lying areas into the bigger drains, are long gone. There are four major dams in the city — Ghata (50 ft), Nathupur (30 ft), Chakarpur (12 ft) and Jharsa. These dams traditionally used to store rainwater, recharge groundwater and prevent water-logging have also long become useless.  

Notorious drain

The Badshahpur drain has always been blamed for flooding and creating havoc in the city. It was cited as the key reason for the mega jam in 2016 and probably for the first time encroachment on the drain and eventual reduction in its capacity came to light. Though a natural drain always existed, the present drain came into existence in 2009. It was in 2008 that the Municipal Corporation Gurugram was formed and the idea of a ‘main drain’ for the city emerged. It was meant to channel the city’s drain water towards the Najafgarh drain in New Delhi. The present drain came into being a year later in 2009. The construction of the drain was supposed to resolve the water-logging problem. However, the drain faced its own issues. The concrete drain did not allow water to seep into soil naturally, creating problems at various areas, including at Khandsa village, where it is quite narrow and water overflows every time it rains. 

According to the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP), barring a 33-metre stretch, the work of expansion of the Badshahpur drain in Khandsa village is complete. The declaration was made by the authorities during an inspection visit by state PWD Minister Rao Narbir Singh. In the past water often flowed back due to the inability of the drain to carry over 2,000 cusecs, as it had a capacity of only 500 cusecs. With the expansion of the drain, the bottleneck at Khandsa village has been removed and the capacity of the drain to carry water has been increased to 2,100 cusecs.

Only 20% rainwater goes underground: Survey

The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) conducted a survey of the drainage system in the city. The report presented to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar stated that 80 per cent of rainwater flows into the city’s storm water drains. It held population increase and frequent additions to the development plan 2031 as major reasons for recurring flooding in the city during monsoons. The study was conducted to aid in devising a new comprehensive drainage plan.

According to the report, the rapid development of the city disrupted the natural flow of water, leading to drainage issues at several points. It also highlighted that the expressway has been built over what was earlier a rainwater drainage channel and this explains water-logging on the stretch every year. The situation has aggravated due to rampant constructions. 

Check dams in Aravalli hills  

The GMDA is constructing check dams in the Aravalli hills to help in dealing with flooding of the Badshahpur drain. It has reportedly built six check dams and the work is under way on six others, which will be completed within a day or two. These check dams will break the velocity of rainwater.

Comprehensive drainage plan 

The GMDA has proposed a comprehensive drainage plan for Gurugram at an estimated cost of over Rs 200 crore. It will include the creation of water harvesting structures, increasing the area covered by ponds, channelling natural creeks, completion of the fourth leg of the drainage system from the Vatika Chowk to the railway culvert number 61, and the construction of recharge wells from the Southern Peripheral Road to the culvert number 61. The plan also envisages the creation of water harvesting structures at eight locations in Sectors 42 to 55 along the Golf Course Road. 

Special flood control plan

The GMDA has prepared a flood control plan under which 44 ‘critical’ junctions have been identified. 

The vulnerable places include many posh residential areas, which will have a nodal officer assigned. The officer will be responsible for assessing the progress of the cleaning of drains at these locations and monitor the water level during rainfall. Several flood control offices and sub-divisional control rooms have been set up and these will be functional between July 1 and September 15. These offices have been set up at the GMDA office, Hero Honda Chowk, Old Gurugram, Golf Course Road, Behrampur and Dhawanpur. These control rooms will coordinate the response to flooding or water-logging.

“We have made pre-monsoon preparations in close coordination with all authorities concerned. Besides comprehensive arrangements and mock drills, we have made arrangements of adequate pumps and manpower with special emphasis on 38 critical points, national highway and underpasses. Special attention is being paid to the Hero Honda Chowk underpass and high-power pumps have already been installed there. The NHAI and the underpass operator have been asked to ensure smooth water drainage,” says Amit Khatri, Deputy Commissioner, Gurugram.

“The expansion of the drain will greatly help in allowing a steady flow of storm water downstream. It will also aid the authorities in dealing with water-logging efficiently. Special directions have been issued to deal with monsoon-related issues this year and attention is also being paid to rural areas. The agencies will work in coordination with each other and we will strive to ensure that the city has a smooth monsoon this year,” Rao Narbir Singh, PWD Minister, had said after inspecting the Badshahpur drain.

38 places prone to flooding  

Hero Honda Chowk, Delhi-Jaipur highway service lane near Narsinghpur, Subhash Chowk, Vatika Chowk, Bakhtawar Chowk, Huda City Centre, Mayfield Garden Chowk, Gold Souk Chowk, Sector 56, Sushant Lok I, Ghata village, Kanhai Mod, Valley View Society, Sector 27, Sector 31, Mahaveer Chowk, Bus Stand road, CRPF Chowk, Sheetla Mata Mandir area, Sector 4, 5, Old Delhi road, Sirhaul border, Atul Kataria Chowk, MDI Chowk, Old DLF Colony, Sector 14, Sector 15 part 2, Patel Nagar Colony, Civil Lines, Sector 34, Sector 21, 22,  23, Palam Vihar, Rajendra Park, Basai road, Khandsa road, Madanpuri Arjun Nagar

Fully prepared for monsoons, says Deputy Commissioner

}We have made pre-monsoon preparations in close coordination with all authorities concerned. Besides comprehensive arrangements and mock drills, we have made arrangements of adequate pumps and manpower with special emphasis on 38 critical points, national highway and underpasses. Special attention is being paid to the Hero Honda Chowk underpass and high power pumps have already been installed there. The NHAI and the underpass operator have been asked to ensure smooth water drainage. — Amit Khatri, Deputy Commissioner, Gurugram