Monsoon prep: Officials inspect underpasses on key stretches in Gurugram

Deputy commissioner (DC) Nishant Kumar Yadav, along with officials of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), on Saturday inspected underpasses on the National Highway 48 and Golf Course Road and took stock of the arrangements to prevent waterlogging and assess the city’s monsoon preparedness.

His major focus was the Sirhaul border and Narsinghpur stretch on NH-48, both of which have repoted severe waterlogging and congestion, officials said.

The officials visited five underpasses at Hero Honda Chowk, the Signature Tower junction, Rajiv Chowk, Golf Course Road and Iffco Chowk. Officials said that the condition of the crossings and underpasses would be better this year, because equipment to pump out water has been installed on all five underpasses.

Yadav said that the NHAI is constructing a temporary pond on the government land adjoining Ambience Mall to drain excess water in the area this monsoon.

“To prevent waterlogging on the main carriageway and lanes of the highway from Gurugram to Jaipur in Narsinghpur area, there was a need to increase the capacity of the pumps installed for drainage. We have directed NHAI officials to ensure that as well as increase the capacity of the pumps before the monsoon. The old pumps also should be replaced soon,” he said.

The DC said that the due to waterlogging, there is a lot of congestion during the monsoon, and despite several complaints, the problem has persisted. “If the problem continues this season, the district administration will consider taking strict action against the officials of NHAI and fix criminal liability under the Disaster Management Act,” Yadav said.

GMDA officials said that work to install five new pumps for water drainage at Narsinghpur was underway. “Two pumps of 70 horsepower (HP), two pumps of 50 HP and one pump of 25 HP will be installed,” said Vikram Singh, executive engineer, Infrastructure 2, GMDA.

Sudhir Rajpal, chief executive officer, GMDA, said that they are undertaking several measures to ensure residents are not hassled during monsoon. “All government departments and agencies concerned are working to tackle all ground-level issues and quickly address any untoward situation that may arise,” he said.

Yadav also directed the electricity department to shift the existing transformer in order to broaden the culvert at Gadauli Khurd on Pataudi Road. “A drain has been excavated by Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) on the Laxman Vihar site to allow free flow of rain water and prevent water logging in the area. Road gullies have been made along Sheetla Mata Mandir which were instrumental in preventing long-term waterlogging in the earlier one-day pre-monsoon shower have successfully been connected to leg 2 drain to properly channelize storm water flow. The cleaning of all drains on this stretch is under progress,” he said.

Officials said that MCG has finished the cleaning of all the four creeks and is in the process of removing all existing encroachments around Creek 1. MCG has ensured to deploy sufficient number of machineries to address water logging issue near Surya Vihar at Kapashera border, said officials.

Rajpal has directed GMDA officials that quick action must be taken on the tendering process to address any water logging concerns near Artemis Hospital and Good Earth Mall in Sector 50.

PWD officials updated that completion and proper connection of drainage network at Atul Kataria Chowk has been done and additional pump sets have also been procured/arranged on the site for emergency.

Yadav said that NHAI has been directed that surface drains at Rajeev Chowk and Hero Honda Chowk have to be cleared of any obstruction ahead of the monsoon.

NHAI officials said that the cleaning of drains at signature tower is nearing completion. “Additional pumping machinery are ready at critical locations and cleaning of drains along NH48 from Kherki Dhaula to Rajeev Chowk will be completed before monsoon,” said an official.

Yadav said that DLF has been asked to maintain all the underpasses and surface drains as well as undertake regular maintenance work throughout the monsoon.