Reporter’s diary: Monsoon is an annual survival exercise for Gurugram

Heavy rainfall in Gurugram has caused severe flooding, gridlocks, and sanitation crises, leaving residents frustrated and fearing repeated issues each monsoon.

Over the past month, travelling on Gurugram roads has become difficult, given the heavy rainfall that inevitably floods roads and gridlocks key junctions—that is, if one is able to avoid having to tread on waterlogged roads or save their vehicles from water damage.

Vehicles wade through a waterlogged stretch during the heavy rain on Gurugram ector 47 road near Sadar Police Station on July 31. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

The rain spells on July 31 and August 14 were especially among the worst, as not only did they wreak the usual damage but also led to electrocution deaths and intensified the sanitation crisis, with sewage-mixed water entering houses—shanties and high-rises.

On the morning of July 31,around 11am, I decided to take the Dwarka Expressway-Hero Honda Chowk route to reach the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) office. As soon as my car crossed Umang Bhardwaj Chowk, vehicles were stuck as there was around 1.5-2 feet of water flowing from the Hero Honda Chowk. It took almost half an hour to cross this stretch, navigating potholes, damaged patches and the gushing water coming from the Delhi-Jaipur highway. But little did I expect the commute to get worse.

The stretch between Hero Honda Chowk and Subash Chowk was submerged in knee-deep water, flowing from the Badshahpur drain at great speed. The Sadar police station at Subhash Chowk was flooded and young children were swimming and playing in the waist-deep water.

It was clear that surface drains along most roads are not functional and mechanical pumping is also inadequate. When I asked a government official in the know-how of things, I was told that over 15 major roads don’t have surface drains and drains along 17 other roads were incomplete or damaged.

The aftermath was no better, as newly constructed roads were severely damaged and residents blamed authorities, with assurances of resolving issues providing little comfort. To salvage the situation, the state government sent its chief principal secretary, Rajesh Khullar, to somehow revive the city—given that its reputation is at stake, as the Millennium City that boasts multiple Fortune-500 companies and MNCs.

The way forward is uncertain, as civic agencies must now step up to assuage concerns, with the business community, which has heavily invested in Gurugram, watching closely.

Residents, however, do not have much hope as they expect this drill to be repeated next year. Every monsoon, the same issues arise, but there seems to be no end to the civic crises. While I used to wonder who was to blame for the issues, one thing has become clear: Monsoon has become an annual survival exercise for residents.

Abhishek Behl is a special correspondent and has extensively covered urban infrastructure, town and country planning, real estate and politics in Gurugram.