Monsoon misery exposes Gurugram’s drainage gaps

Come monsoon and a painting on a Gurugram flyover seems to come alive year after year — tall buildings dotting the skyline, a river meandering along the city and a child setting paper boats afloat as the swirling current carries them away.

The colourful artwork, splashed against the grey concrete of the Millennium City, is a pleasing sight for commuters as they needle their way through crawling traffic. For residents, however, the monsoon brings little to cheer about.

Large parts of Gurugram grind to a halt after heavy rain, with roads turning into rivulets and low-lying areas being submerged. The recurring waterlogging has once again raised questions over the city’s monsoon preparedness and the capacity of its drainage network to cope with rainfall.

As sector roads turn into waterways, Gurugram becomes a mini Venice — minus the charm and preparedness. Every year, residents are left asking the same question: why does the city continue to be caught off guard by the monsoon?

“The entry to the sector is flooded and water collects at one end, making it impossible for residents to step out. Over the past two years, there was some improvement after the Municipal Corporation stepped in and the drainage time was reduced from six to 10 hours to about two hours. This monsoon, we are back to five hours of draining time. There is no follow-up on complaints. We wrote to the Chief Minister two years ago about the issues plaguing the sector. We are still awaiting action,” said Rakesh Jinsi, president of the Sector 17 Residents’ Welfare Association.

While new Gurugram has, so far, managed to weather the incessant rain this season, it is old Gurugram that has borne the brunt.

“Waterlogged streets, endless traffic jams and people wading through knee-deep water are a common sight. The monsoon misery exposes the gaps in the city’s preparedness. It all boils down to one issue — poor drainage systems that fail us every time,” said Puneet Pahwa, a corporate employee living in Sector 45.

He questioned the use of property tax revenue, saying residents should not be expected to pay for civic services that remain inadequate.

In Sector 45, heavy rain invariably leads to water entering homes in a particular pocket. “A private society has constructed a wall to prevent water from flowing into its area. We have, after great difficulty, installed two pipes to drain out the water. Residents take turns to prevent the drains from clogging when the water begins to rise. There is an electric pole nearby and this could cause a mishap someday,” said Sumita Shrivastava.

Ashwani Dabra, president of United Gurugram RWAs, said residents’ complaints had repeatedly fallen on deaf ears.

In Sector 4, RWA president Yogita Katariya alleged that civic works were being carried out without addressing the basic drainage problems. “The original mapping of this first sector of Haryana in the city has not been followed. The solutions are easy if the civic administration works properly. Roads have been raised, resulting in water entering shops; drains were laid but collapsed, while parks remain under water for over two weeks. Even raising the issue at the grievances meeting chaired by the Chief Minister has not helped. Now, we are at the mercy of the Gods,” she said.

The civic administration, however, maintains that efforts are under way to tackle the problem.