How the civic body has planned to resolve Gurugram’s sanitation crisis

Since Gurugram continues to be the only city in the country facing waste exigency, the local civic agencies have come out with yet another plan. The Municipal Corporation Gurugram (MCG) has promised to plug all infrastructure gaps and pull the city out of sanitation crisis within next 5 years.

What is MCG’s latest five-year plan?

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has submitted a Rs 744-crore proposal to the Haryana Government. Pivoting around resolution of sanitation crisis and waste management, the new plan outlines a five-year district-wide plan to strengthen cleanliness system. The proposal details zone-wise allocations and identifies major gaps in manpower and infrastructure.

 What does the plan outline?

The plan proposes allocation of funds in zone-wise development. According to the proposed document around Rs 382.59 crore has been earmarked for Zones 1 and 2, and Rs 361.45 crore for Zones 3 and 4. The budget includes costs for both mechanised and manual sweeping.The proposal emphasises expanding resources, recommending the procurement of 39 new cleaning machines while phasing out 16 old ones. It also flags a significant manpower shortage. At present, the MCG has 2,521 sanitation workers, while an estimated 6,500 more workers are required. A ward councillor, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the corporation planned to hire 1,500 more workers to partially bridge the gap.

What do officials say?

The MCG officials say that the new proposal will offer subjective solution to each ward. The tenders are issued according to a specific ward and zone requirements. The budget is allocated according to the number of ongoing and upcoming projects across the district. It is not allocated ward wise. The authorities have reviewed each zone in detail and listed out key issues plaguing each zone.

How much has been spent on Gurugram sanitation so far in 2025?

The expenditure data of MCG shows that it has so far spent Rs151 crore on sanitation and waste management between April 1 and October 31 of this fiscal year. Out of this Rs 66 crore was spent on door-to-door waste collection, Rs 28 crore on maintenance, water supply and drainage, Rs 16 crore on vehicle hiring, Rs 26 crore on waste management, Rs 5 crore on machinery, and another Rs 5 crore on controlling stray cattle and monkeys.

How is sanitation being managed in the city at present?

While the MCG has managed spot correction to a great extent in the city, a permanent solution for garbage is still awaited. At November 11 meeting between ward councillors and Mayor Raj Rani Malhotra, concerns were raised about persistent waste management lapses, overstretched workers and inadequate sanitation in several wards. They highlighted how several parts of the city struggled with door-to-door waste collection such as piling up of garbage heaps, illegal dumping on vacant plots, and irregular cleaning schedules.