New Delhi, Aug 7 (PTI) Gurugram does not face any major civic infrastructure issues, except for instances of waterlogging during heavy rains, the Lok Sabha was informed on Thursday.
Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said this while referring to information provided by the Haryana government.
It was a written reply to a question by Congress lawmaker Deepender Singh Hooda on whether Gurugram was facing serious civic issues, such as waterlogging and other infrastructure-related matters, despite being a key corporate hub.
Gurugram witnesses frequent waterlogging every monsoon season.
According to the minister, Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has spent Rs 3,602 crore on urban civic infrastructure in the last five years, while Gurugram Municipal Corporation spent Rs 230.82 crore during the same period.
Responding to Hooda's question, Khattar said, "The state government has informed that Gurugram city does not face any major civic infrastructure-related issues except instances of waterlogging reported during heavy rains."
He said the Haryana government has informed the HUA ministry that Gurugram has unique topography featuring the Aravalli Hills to the east and the Najafgarh Drain to the northwest.
The elevation difference of about 78 meters between the Najafgarh Drain and the Aravalli hills on the southeast of Gurugram city 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 Chakarpur, Jharsa, Wazirabad, and Ghata Bunds, he said.
The minister said these structures were designed to manage stormwater and prevent flooding by channelling runoff efficiently across the terrain. However, rapid urbanisation has rendered many of the bunds obsolete and reduced pond networks, impacting the traditional drainage system, he said.
"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, improved connectivity of drains for outfall disposal, de-silting of drains, augmentation and reconstructions of drains, construction of check dams, construction of water channels to get road water into creeks, and rejuvenation of natural creeks, etc," the minister said.
Further steps include undertaking 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 to improve stormwater management and build long-term resilience against waterlogging.
Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) and the Municipal Corporation Gurugram (MCG) have also taken various steps to resolve waterlogging issues, which include desilting of 544 km drains, deployment of 141 heavy-duty pumps and 77 suction tankers, the Union minister said.