Gurgaon: Ahead of an expected increase in rainfall, the MCG has urged residents to help keep ‘gully traps’ free of blockages — plastic waste, leaves and silt — that frequently clog the city’s stormwater drainage system.Gully traps are grated openings that channel rainwater from roads into the underground stormwater drainage network, and they often get blocked by debris, preventing water from draining efficiently and contributing to waterlogging, according to the civic body.As part of an “adopt a gully trap” initiative, the MCG Commissioner Pradeep Dahiya appealed to residents to keep an eye on one gully trap near their homes, shops or workplaces and safely remove minor obstructions whenever possible.“Civic teams were carrying out routine cleaning of drains and gully traps, but waste carried by rainwater often accumulates again during showers and causes disruptions, hence regular monitoring is required,” said Dahiya.The appeal comes as waterlogging continues to disrupt traffic and daily life in several sectors of the city during the monsoon despite annual preparations by civic bodies.However, some residents said citizen participation should complement, not replace, municipal maintenance.“Residents can certainly help by not littering and by reporting blocked drains, but asking people to clean gully traps shouldn’t become a substitute for proper civic maintenance. It’s no use cleaning gully traps when the main storm drains are badly choked,” said Lalit Suraj Bhola, a resident of Sector 9A.He also emphasised that MCG must complete desilting of storm drains and sewer chambers before the monsoon and noted that delayed tendering repeatedly causes annual flooding, leaving residents to suffer despite the civic body’s recurring, unfulfilled promises of improvement.Officials said drain and gully trap cleaning is a routine, year-round exercise undertaken across the city. The corporation has deployed field teams and machinery to maintain the stormwater network and said public cooperation can help prevent blockages and keep drains functional during the rainy season.
