NEW DELHI: Rapid urbanisation in Gurugram has disrupted the traditional drainage systems, making bunds ineffective and reducing the pond network, leading to waterlogging during monsoon, Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal informed the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
Referring to the information provided by the Haryana government, the minister further said that waterlogging during monsoon had been addressed to a large extent through targeted interventions, which brought down the number of key waterlogging points from 90 in 2019 to 30 in 2024.
The minister was responding to the questions posed by Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda on civic issues, including waterlogging in Gurugram. His reply stated that as per the state government, Gurugram has unique topography featuring the Aravalli Hills to the east and the Najafgarh Drain to the northwest, and the elevation difference of about 78m between them in the southeast has created a natural gradient for water flow, which was historically controlled through a series of bunds constructed in the late 19th century, such as the Chakarpur, Jharsa, Wazirabad, and Ghata Bunds.
“Rapid urbanisation has rendered many bunds obsolete and reduced pond networks, impacting traditional drainage systems. Around 90 critical waterlogging points were identified in 2019, which has been reduced to 30 in 2024 by taking various measures such as connecting stormwater to drains, improving connectivity of drains for outfall disposal, desilting of drains, augmenting and reconstructing drains, among others,” read the reply.
The city witnesses severe waterlogging on days when it rains heavily. Lal further said that various steps, including the construction of master stormwater drains at Narsinghpur (NH-48), Khandsa Chowk (Hero Honda Chowk to Sector-10 Depot), Tau Devi Lal Stadium (Sector 38), and Sector 17/18, are being undertaken to improve the stormwater management and build “long-term resilience against waterlogging”.