Drowning in Gurugram: Rs 100 crore spent in 3 years

Sumedha Sharma

Tribune News Service

Gurugram, August 12

Even though Gurugram has spent over Rs 100 crore on anti-waterlogging measures in the past three years, it has failed to resolve the perennial problem of urban flooding. The Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), Municipal Corporation, Municipal Corporation of Manesar (MCM), NHAI and private developers like the DLF have failed to save the city from monsoon mayhem. This, despite the fact that over 50 anti-waterlogging planning meetings and two mock drills have been held since the last monsoon.

CM Saini had nothing to say

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Why will officials work when even the government doesn’t care? CM Nayab Singh Saini was in the city when it was drowning. He saw everything, but there was no word on the situation or action against those responsible for it. Solving this issue requires intent, which they lack. Raj Babbar, Congress leader

“The civic agencies are simply wasting public money, and nobody is holding them accountable. The city has become a national shame, but what action has been taken? They hold a meeting every month, but the situation worsens each passing year. We constituted the GMDA to improve coordination in 2016 and have been facing nothing short of flashfloods since. The city contributes 70% of the state’s revenue and has the richest MC, yet it lacks drains in many areas. Drains are not cleaned and pumps are absent,” said Rao Narbeer, a former minister.

As per records of the MCG, GMDA and MCM, over 50% drains were not cleaned before the monsoon. While many drains have been encroached upon, delay in tender process or contractors abandoning work midway have been cited as reasons. The NHAI, according to sources, failed to complete 60 per cent of pre-monsoon cleaning along expressways and peripheral roads.

Every year, the story is the same: 70 per cent of the city is impacted during rains. “Cleaning of drains is a basic civic exercise undertaken even in villages, and here, in the Millennium City, they do not bother with it. Newer an area more flooded it is. The agencies keep passing the buck and residents have to suffer,” said Praveen Malik, president, United Association of New Gurugram.

The civic agencies, too, are not oblivious to the lack of coordination. At a meeting chaired by the GMDA CEO, A Sreenivas, it was highlighted how drains were non-existent in several MC areas, while many had not been connected to the master drain. The MCG Commissioner, Dr Narahari Banger, said areas under the MCG were cleared of rainwater within an hour.