Rain should actually go away from Gurugram as it’s a pain in the ass for the people living in the city. The city fills up with rainwater in no time and the next moment, you can actually ride a boat on the roads of Gurugram.
Something similar happened on Wednesday as Gurugram received 95 mm rainfall, which is significantly higher than the July 2016’s rain (55 mm). The continuous six hours rain literally sank the city revealing the problems with its planning and poor drainage system.
As many as three underpasses on the Golf Course Road at DLF Phase 1, Genpact Chowk, and Bristol Chowk, two in Cyber City next to Shankar Chowk and Cyberhub, two on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway at IFFCO Chowk and Rajiv Chowk were filled with rainwater till the neck and had to be closed down.
So what exactly makes Gurgram the illest managed city when it comes to rain? Well, we will try to figure out.
The problem with Gurugram is not just the flawed drainage system. Reports state that planning of infrastructure, corruption, lack of maintenance of dams and topographical factors aggravate the situation.
The Aravalis Factor
As per a report by TOI small damaged dams (over 100) from the British era are not being maintained and the money allocated for their maintenance is held by corrupt officers.
These dams lie across Aravalis which is sloppy naturally. As reported by TOI, while Gwal Pahari (east) along the Delhi border is situated at a height of 290 metres, Najafgarh (west) is at the lowest point of 200 metres. The difference of 90 metres leads to water from the Aravalis to gush down into the city’s low lying areas.
Private Contribution
Also, places like Gurugram are highly residential areas. Estates planners not only fill up water bodies to erect highrises but then also empty the rainwater outside the campus rather than properly draining it into sewers (which are also of no good).
Noida-Gurugram a Comparison
If you compare Gurgram with Noida, the latter received 70mm of rainfall recently. However, there were no such fill-ups. Why? As per a report by HT, Noida is planned and authority looks after roads, drainage networks, etc.
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Way Forward
Over the years, it’s not like Gurgram authorities haven’t done anything to help the city, but to do it more effectively, private offices must be governed with strigent laws when it comes to draining water and where they stand.
Also, a network of new dams and master dams must be erected before thinking of expanding roads. Such roads are of no use if they fill up every monsoon for the more the water on roads, the sooner they would break down adding to the unnecessary cost of maintenance.
