Gurgaon: Torrential rain and another collapse of civic infrastructure forced Gurgaon — the state’s corporate capital — into an unplanned work-from-home mode on Thursday after flooded stretches, submerged underpasses and hours long traffic snarls prompted police and the district administration to ask companies to keep employees off roads.The advisory effectively turned the remainder of the workweek into a long weekend for thousands of corporate employees, who are now expected to return to offices only on Monday — weather and the city’s infrastructure permitting.The decision came after another chaotic morning that saw the Medanta and IFFCO Chowk underpasses shut because of flooding, a portion of the road near The Westin cave in and arterial stretches remain choked for hours. The city recorded 97mm of rain between 8am on Wednesday and 8am on Thursday. While IMD issued an orange alert for Gurgaon, neighbouring Delhi was placed under a red alert as heavy rain battered NCR.It was city police who first appealed to companies on social media to allow employees to work remotely to reduce congestion. Hours later, district disaster management authority (DDMA) issued a formal advisory asking all corporate offices and private institutions to permit work from home “wherever feasible” on Thursday and Friday.Officials said limiting vehicular movement would ease gridlock and allow civic agencies to repair damaged roads, clear drains and tackle widespread waterlogging. But the advisory also underscored how repeated failures of civic infrastructure after a spell of rain had begun affecting not just traffic but also business continuity in one of the country’s largest corporate hubs.
Traffic navigates through a flooded road in Sector 14
For much of corporate Gurgaon, the decision effectively ended the working week early. With Friday covered under WFH and Saturday and Sunday being weekly offs for most offices, thousands of employees will now work remotely until the weekend ends.Most technology, consulting and financial services firms shifted seamlessly to remote operations, but the disruption extended well beyond office attendance. Client meetings were cancelled or moved online, training sessions deferred and vendor interactions rescheduled. Businesses dependent on office crowds — such as roadside eateries, restaurants, taxis, transport operators and retailers in commercial districts — also witnessed a sharp drop in footfall.The impact was more pronounced in industrial belts such as Manesar and Udyog Vihar, where manufacturing continued but employee movement, logistics and supply chains were hit by flooded roads and traffic snarls. Several companies staggered shifts, delayed reporting times and arranged transport for essential staff.“This isn’t just about employees working from home. Gurgaon’s economy runs on the daily movement of lakhs of professionals. When that movement stops, everyone — from office cafeterias and taxis to hotels and retailers — feels the impact,” an industry representative said.The city’s most visible reminder of its recurring monsoon woes was the Medanta underpass, which was once again submerged under knee-deep water after overnight rain, forcing authorities to shut one of the busiest links and divert traffic via the Rajiv Chowk U-turn. The underpass remained closed till Thursday evening as operations continued to pump out water. Earlier this week, the Ambience Mall and Bajghera underpasses were also shut after heavy rain left commuters stranded and triggered massive traffic jams.
The Medanta underpass submerged under knee-deep water, forcing police to close it
NHAI officials said the Medanta underpass was flooded because it is connected to a GMDA master stormwater drain that itself overflowed during the downpour. “The pumps installed at the underpass discharge into the same drain. Once the drain overflowed, the water started backflowing into the underpass despite the pumps being operational,” an official said, adding that two additional high-capacity pumps had been deployed to speed up dewatering.The IFFCO Chowk underpass was also shut for nearly two hours after water entered the carriageway, while continuous rain led to a road cave-in near The Westin. The damaged stretch was barricaded and traffic diverted while repairs were planned. DCP (traffic) Prateek Gaholot said other waterlogged underpasses were closed as a precaution to prevent accidents.Commuters said the WFH advisory came only after they had spent hours battling flooded roads and slow traffic. “I left home around 8am, but spent nearly two hours covering what usually takes 30 minutes. My manager eventually asked the entire team to return home and log in remotely because reaching office had become impossible,” said Rohit Sharma, an IT professional at Cyber Hub.Vijay Shiv Nath, a resident of Malibu Towne, said flooding at the Medanta underpass had become an annual ordeal. “Almost every time it rains heavily, the underpass is closed. I use it to avoid Rajiv Chowk, but once it shuts, the diversion itself becomes chaotic. A 30-minute journey stretched to nearly an hour on Thursday,” he added.Neha Arora, who works with a multinational consulting firm in Udyog Vihar, said teams facing clients had to quickly redraw their schedules. “We cancelled in-person meetings, postponed presentations and shifted everything online. Several colleagues were stranded in traffic, while others were dealing with power and internet disruptions at home,” she added.The disruption was mirrored across Delhi too, where heavy rain during the morning rush hour left roads waterlogged and traffic crawling on NH-8, Delhi-Meerut Expressway, the Safdarjung-AIIMS corridor, Hauz Khas, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, Ber Sarai and Munirka.
