Due to the lack of a continuous drainage system, rainwater accumulates on the carriageway instead of being effectively channelled out
Gurgaon: GMDA has moved to address chronic waterlogging on Old Delhi-Gurgaon Road by planning a continuous surface drainage network along a 7.5km stretch between Mahavir Chowk and Kapashera border.The arterial road, about 30 metres wide, has long been prone to flooding during the monsoon due to gaps and damage in the existing drainage system.To tackle the issue, GMDA has floated a fresh tender to construct missing surface drains, repair damaged sections and build road gullies to improve stormwater discharge. The project is estimated to cost Rs 8.3 crore.However, commuters are unlikely to get immediate relief, as the project is expected to take at least 12 months to complete after the contract is awarded.
This means the stretch will likely face similar problems during the upcoming monsoon season.The road connects several residential sectors and societies with key establishments, govt offices and the industrial hub of Udyog Vihar, making it one of the city’s most important corridors. Despite this, inadequate drainage has repeatedly led to water accumulation, disrupting traffic and damaging road conditions.
Over the years, different agencies constructed drains in phases, resulting in a fragmented network with little continuity. In many places, drains are incomplete, damaged or blocked, preventing the effective flow of rainwater, an official said.“Under this project, we will construct missing surface drains and repair damaged portions along Old Delhi-Gurgaon Road from Mahavir Chowk to Kapashera border. Several sections either lack drains or have broken stretches, disrupting stormwater flow.
The aim is to complete these missing links and restore the drainage network into a continuous system,” a senior GMDA official said.Before execution, a detailed survey will be carried out, including mapping finished road levels, drainage invert levels and cross-drainage points, along with preparing longitudinal and cross-sections. A dedicated survey team will be deployed on the ground for three months to ensure accuracy in planning and design.The stretch is particularly vulnerable to waterlogging at several points, including the Kapashera border, Dundahera, Hanuman Chowk and Atul Kataria Chowk. Areas near the HSVP office in Sector 14 and Gurgaon One society also frequently face flooding during heavy rain, often causing traffic jams and unsafe driving conditions.Although some drain sections were constructed earlier — by NCRTC during pre-construction work for the Delhi-Gurgaon-Alwar RRTS corridor and by MCG between Hanuman Chowk and Leg-1 — the network remains incomplete.
Only limited stretches were built, leaving large gaps that disrupt water flow across the corridor.Due to the lack of a continuous drainage system, rainwater accumulates on the carriageway instead of being effectively channelled out. The new project aims to resolve this by ensuring seamless connectivity of drains along the entire stretch and improving outflow through properly designed road gullies.Meanwhile, residents have blamed civic agencies for failing to resolve the issue despite repeated interventions and spending.“MCG constructed drains nearly two years ago, but they remain non-functional due to lack of connectivity. Similarly, GMDA announced a drain project in 2022 between Kapashera and Hanuman Chowk, but there has been no progress. The situation is especially severe near the Kapashera border, where waterlogging worsened after GMDA redeveloped Udyog Vihar’s roads without proper drainage connectivity,” said Rajesh Gera, RWA president.“Civic agencies have taken a piecemeal approach, with work done in disconnected patches. As a result, water has nowhere to go and ends up flooding the road. We only hope this time there is lasting relief,” he added.
