10 years of sewage, HEWO 2 society drowns as Gurugram’s civic system fails
Sewage has entered ground floors and even second-floor homes, gushing into bathrooms, kitchens, and living rooms
For over a decade, residents of HEWO 2 society in Sector 56 have been forced to live with sewage inside their homes—an ordeal that has now become one of Gurugram’s longest-running civic failures. What began as a seemingly local drainage issue has spiraled into a full-blown public health crisis, urban planning disaster, and governance scandal.
Every manhole outside the society is overflowing with filth. Years ago,the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG), declared the sewer line as too small for the load it carries. The drain serves not only HEWO 2 but also several neighboring condominiums, commercial complexes, and the sprawling hospital campus. With the system stretched far beyond capacity, human waste routinely spills into basements, streets, and apartments, leaving families trapped in unbearable conditions.
For residents, the suffering is relentless. Sewage has entered ground floors and even second-floor homes, gushing into bathrooms, kitchens, and living rooms. The stench lingers constantly, turning corridors and apartments into what one resident described as gas chambers.
The outrage is intensified by the fact that Sonia Yadav, the elected MCG councillor for the ward, herself resides in HEWO 2. Despite experiencing the same crisis firsthand, residents allege she has failed to secure a permanent solution for the society. “If a councillor cannot fix sewage in her own home for 10 years, what does this say about accountability in Gurugram’s governance?” asked one angry resident.
When asked about the matter, counsillor Yadav said she has discussed this issue with the MCG and Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) and will meet the officials on Monday . “This issue will be resolved but it will take time,” she Yadav.
{{/usCountry}}When asked about the matter, counsillor Yadav said she has discussed this issue with the MCG and Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) and will meet the officials on Monday . “This issue will be resolved but it will take time,” she Yadav.
{{/usCountry}}Over the years, the society’s Residents Welfare Association (RWA) has written countless letters, submitted memorandums, and staged protests, pleading with the MCG for help. Instead, they have been met with patchwork fixes—temporary suction trucks, token site visits, and vague assurances. The underlying issue remains unresolved, leaving families to endure another year of indignity.
{{/usCountry}}Over the years, the society’s Residents Welfare Association (RWA) has written countless letters, submitted memorandums, and staged protests, pleading with the MCG for help. Instead, they have been met with patchwork fixes—temporary suction trucks, token site visits, and vague assurances. The underlying issue remains unresolved, leaving families to endure another year of indignity.
{{/usCountry}}Despite the crisis attracting national attention and interventions from well-known businessman and columnist Suhel Seth, and amplification by RWAs and residents, civic authorities have continued to look the other way. “This is not a civic inconvenience, this is a humanitarian crisis. For 10 years, families have been forced to live with sewage in their homes. Children are sick, the elderly are trapped, and entire families are living in conditions worse than slums—inside apartments they bought with their life savings. MCG’s inaction is criminal,” said Tahir Khan, general secretary of the HEWO 2 RWA.
{{/usCountry}}Despite the crisis attracting national attention and interventions from well-known businessman and columnist Suhel Seth, and amplification by RWAs and residents, civic authorities have continued to look the other way. “This is not a civic inconvenience, this is a humanitarian crisis. For 10 years, families have been forced to live with sewage in their homes. Children are sick, the elderly are trapped, and entire families are living in conditions worse than slums—inside apartments they bought with their life savings. MCG’s inaction is criminal,” said Tahir Khan, general secretary of the HEWO 2 RWA.
{{/usCountry}}Residents say they have lost faith in civic bodies that continue to make empty promises without sharing a clear timeline for permanent relief. “The crisis has also raised larger questions of governance: why was a single undersized sewer line forced to bear the load of condominiums, malls, and a hospital campus? Why have repeated appeals from residents gone unheard for a decade? And why has the local councillor chosen silence, despite living amid the same crisis? said Gaurav Sharma, another resident and a social worker.
As the anger in HEWO 2 grows, so too does the sense of betrayal. “Our children sleep in the stink of sewage,” said one resident. “This is not negligence—it is apathy. We pay taxes, but live worse than people in unauthorized colonies. If MCG cannot fix this, then who will?” asked Vivek Lamba, another resident.
When contacted, a senior MCG official said the corporation is aware of the crisis and will act immediately. “We understand the gravity of the situation at HEWO 2 society and deeply regret the suffering residents have endured for so long. This matter has been taken up on priority, and our engineering wing has been instructed to prepare a permanent solution. We will ensure that this long-pending issue is resolved at the earliest,” the official said.
